


Born To Love You

by thoughtsaboutshows



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018) RPF
Genre: AU, Childhood Friends to Lovers, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Runaway Bride, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:02:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25478860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoughtsaboutshows/pseuds/thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: ***This is a follow up to my one shot Marry Me.  If you haven't read that go read it first!!***So Sabrina left Harvey at the altar for Nick.  What now?  Tune in for snapshots into Nick and Sabrina's life now that they've admitted their true feelings.  What happened after Sabrina left Harvey and ran to Nick?  Did they live happily ever after?This will be a collection of snapshots of this version of Nick and Sabrina.  I don't know how often it will be updated, but we will get a look into their life together.I enjoy writing my fics based on songs, so if a particular song screams this Nick and Sabrina to you please message me on tumblr or comment below and maybe I'll write a scene based on it!
Relationships: Harvey Kinkle & Sabrina Spellman, Nicholas Scratch/Sabrina Spellman
Comments: 23
Kudos: 85





	1. Paper Rings

**Author's Note:**

> How did Sabrina break the news??  
> What happens next?  
> Let's see...
> 
> In honor of Taylor’s upcoming album thats out TONIGHT. This ones called Paper Rings

Born to Love You 

* * *

Paper Rings

**Kiss me once 'cause you know I had a long night**

**Kiss me twice 'cause it's gonna be alright**

**Three times 'cause I've waited my whole life**

-

_She was a blur of white. Between the dress she was wearing and the hair on her head, she was quick as wind as she bounded down the stairs. Aunt Zelda’s study had been transformed into a groom’s suite so she knew she’d find Harvey there. She had her bouquet in hand and twisted her engagement ring, which had always been a size too big, around her finger as she burst the door open. The speed in which she’d run down the stairs left her veil a little disheveled and her cheeks a tad rosy, determination present in all her features. Theo and Ambrose’s eyes were wide and surprised at her entrance and Harvey moved to cover his own eyes before he saw his bride._

_“Brina what are you doing?” His ask was a little playful and it made Sabrina’s heart break for what she was about to do. “I can’t see you yet.”_

_“Theo. Ambrose.” She looked at them because she can’t bear to look at Harvey yet. Theo eyed her with confusion but Ambrose’s gaze was knowing. He’s figured out what she’s about to do. “Give us the room.”_

_They wordlessly leave and Ambrose tapped Sabrina’s shoulder once as he passed. He gave it the gentlest squeeze, showing her his support and offering strength._

_“I’m not allowed to see you, Brina!” He was still smiling behind his hand._

_“Put your hand down, Harvey.” Sabrina said as her voice cracked slightly. She did not want to be doing this. Harvey didn’t deserve this, but he also didn’t deserve to be married to someone whose heart wasn’t in it. Someone whose heart was held in the palm of another guy, right next to a handful of grape gushers and a horror novel. “We need to talk.”_

_“Worst words ever.” He tried to joke as he slowly dropped his hand from his face. The expression behind it looked pained and worried, as he looked her up and down._

_“You look beautiful.” He started but Sabrina held up her hand to get him to stop._

_“Harvey don’t.” Her voice cracked again as she avoided his eyes. She fiddled with her ring one more time before pulling it off. He took in a sharp breath as he noticed. “I’m sorry.”_

_“You’re leaving me.” He said it as a statement and not a question._

_“I’m so sorry, Harvey.” She repeated and stepped towards him. He flinched back and swallowed heavy. “I can’t marry you. Not when I don’t love you the way I should.”_

_“Sabrina, if you’re not ready...we can wait-”. He tried to argue but she cut him off._

_“It’s not that, Harvey. It’s just…”. She trailed off as she tried to find the right words. How could she tell the man she was supposed to marry, the only man that she had dated in her life, that she couldn’t go through with it. All because she was in love with someone she’s never even kissed, someone she wasn’t even sure felt the same way. But then there was they way Nick had looked at her...No. She was certain he felt the same way. Nick’s stunned expression gave her more strength._

_Harvey sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. Sabrina could tell he was holding back tears._

_“You love him, don’t you.” He said and looked Sabrina in the eyes. Tears pricked at hers too, threatening to fall. He was talking about Nick, and even he could see what was between them. And she hadn’t seen it for years._

_“Harvey…”_

_“Don’t try to deny it, Sabrina.” He said with a little edge to his voice. He was shaking his head, like if he did it hard enough the momentum would lift him into the air and away from her. “I should have seen this coming.”_

_“I’m so sorry.” She said after a pause and as she handed him the ring he’d proposed with not long ago._

_“Me too.” He said softly as he hung his head low, chin to his chest._

_“I really wish you the best, Harvey. I only want you to be happy and with me...we wouldn’t be happy.”_

_“We could be happy.” He suggested as a last ditch effort to get her to stay. But even he could hear the reluctance in his voice. Deep in his heart, no matter how much he thought he loved Sabrina, he knew that they didn’t fit. Maybe they did when they were 16, but he wasn’t sure they had made sense even then. He wasn’t fighting all that hard for her, which should have been indication enough._

_“Maybe.” She agreed softly. “But not like we’re meant to. Not like we deserve.”_

_He only nodded in response as he played with the ring in his fingers. He had been so proud of it when he got it, having saved up for months after working extra shifts in the mines. Now it felt foreign in his hands._

_Sabrina realized there was nothing else to be said so she turned on her heels and walked out the door of the study. Ambrose and her aunties were hugging a corner and studied her as she made her exit. Theo and Roz were there too, both of their eyes darting to Sabrina. They made a silent agreement to split up, each taking a half of the now broken up couple. Theo slipped back into the study as Roz came for Sabrina. She noticed the blonde’s worn expression and a single tear falling down her face. Roz didn’t have to ask to know what had just happened. With one look at her friend she knew no wedding would happen today._

_Roz had always supported Sabrina and Harvey, knowing he was good for her and good to her. But in the back of her mind, she also worried that her friend was settling. Not that there was anything wrong with Harvey Kinkle, Roz thought he was perfect. She just thought that they didn’t quite hit the mark with each other. Roz suspected that they were just good enough and that while Sabrina would be well cared for, her perfect match was somewhere with his nose buried in a book._

_“Nick?” Roz asked Sabrina singularly, her eyebrows raised in question, though her face showed compassion._

_“Yeah.” Sabrina managed to breathe out her response as Roz pulled her into a hug._

_“Go.” Roz encouraged her and handed her the keys to Sabrina’s car, which were on the hook by the door. Sabrina looked at the keys in Roz’s hand,_ _confused. Wasn’t Nick with the other guests? As if sensing what was on her mind, Roz explained. “He’s not here. I saw him run out of here like a bat out of hell.”_

_Sabrina didn’t wait long, bounding out the door and tossing the bouquet to the side when she realized she was still holding it. Not bothering to change out of her dress or even take off the veil, Sabrina drove straight to him. To Nick. And to what she hoped would be forever_

-

“Unzip me?” Sabrina asked as they walked in the house. She had been wondering how she was going to get the thing off. Roz has zipped it up this morning, and the plan was for Harvey to do the unzipping tonight. But that wouldn’t happen now. Nick cleared his throat and agreed, noticing an awkward tension in the air. He decided to do what he did best. Joke.

“Been wanting you to say that to me for years.” It did its job and Sabrina laughed. “Didn’t think you’d be saying it in your wedding dress to someone else, though.” When he was done with the zipper he placed his hands on her shoulders briefly. Sabrina spun to him and rolled her eyes.

“Thanks, Nick.” She paused and pursed her lips. The desire to kiss his smirk was back but she refrained, the discomfort of her dress outweighing her lust. But only slightly. She wanted to kiss him again, just not in this dress.

Sabrina peeled off the long white dress as she heard Nick fumble around the kitchen. She knew him well enough to know he didn’t drink tea. But he had been keeping a teapot and a _“box of drinkable leaves”_ , as he called it, next to his coffee pot for years. In Nick’s bedroom, she dug through the drawers until she could find what she was looking for, his worn Berkeley History t-shirt that she loved and a pair of boxers. She felt at home already in his bedroom and admired her hand, which was now perfect in its ring-less state, before heading out the door to meet him in the kitchen.

She supposed she should feel sad or have a pit in her stomach after leaving Harvey at the altar and the tiny ring that used to adorn her finger in his hands. He had been upset but not entirely shocked, and he didn’t fight her leaving. And she did feel all those things. She felt guilty for hurting him and worried that she may have fucked up her friend group for good. Her mind was a mess. But the few things she felt with clarity all revolved around Nicholas Scratch. She felt at peace that she did the right thing, excited and slightly nervous as to what came next since walking out of her wedding and kissing her best friend. Right now as she tiptoed down the hall, Nick was making her chamomile tea with just the right amount of honey and cream, the same way he’d been doing it for years. 

As if sensing her presence he turned around before she could even tell him she had been successful in her mission in finding clothes. His stare was even more intense than the one he gave her when he barged in her bedroom at the Mortuary a few hours ago. Her cheeks blushed at his gaze, but she was suddenly no longer nervous. She immediately felt at home, as if standing in the kitchen in Nick’s boxers while he held her mug of tea was what she was always meant to do. 

He swallowed hard as his eyes darkened. Another smirk dances across his lips.

“I lied. This is what I’ve always wanted.” He paused and took a step closer. “You, standing there in my clothes.” 

Sabrina chuckled again and closed the distance between them by stepping closer so they were almost chest to chest.

“Got my tea?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. He didn’t break eye contact as he held it up for her. She didn’t break it either as she grabbed it from his hands. The mere brush of their fingers set her ablaze. “Thanks again.” She stood on her toes only slightly, he was the perfect kissing height for her, to kiss him now that she was in different clothes. He groaned in approval.

“I could get used to that.” Nick responded with his eyes closed. She kissed him again, placing the mug down so she could wrap her arms around his neck and pull him even closer. He spoke in a breathy whisper when she pulled away. “Lied again. I will _never_ get used to your lips on mine.” 

She smiled again and grabbed her tea and led him into his living room. They needed to talk. About a lot of things. But she was content to figure it all out, as long as it was with him. 

-

When they settled on the couch, Sabrina with her back on the arm rest and Nick seated next to her, she had thrown her legs in his lap as he covered them with a blanket. She cuddled her mug as he rubbed her legs affectionately up and down under the plaid throw and eventually rested his hand on her knee. Her legs were shaved because of her cancelled honeymoon. But it wouldn’t have mattered anyways. Nick was at the house when Zelda had forced her to shave them for the first time at age 12. Sabrina had claimed it didn’t matter because she wore tights. She had won the argument that time, but it wasn’t long before it became a part of her routine. 

Though enjoying each other’s presence, they still danced around each other. It wasn’t awkward but they weren’t exactly confronting the wedding size elephant in the room. She asked him about how work was going and he shared with her that he had been sent some evidence to look over from a case in Hartford that would likely take up some of his time. She had mentioned she was putting together the reading list for her AP students for the next year and had just gotten the okay to include horror in her lesson plan. He sensed she’d be re-reading a lot of Stephen King in her future. 

Sabrina’s tea was nearly empty by the time they got to the hard questions, unable to ignore her ringless finger anymore. She wasn’t sure what came next, he didn’t really either after she’d whispered the word _forever_ and kissed him again. He had kissed her back in earnest, and they had both said they loved each other. But Sabrina was a planner, and there were a lot more logistics to figure out before they settled into any sense of normalcy. It was uncharted waters for them. Even though Nick had comforted her with his palm on her knee in the past, something felt different about it now. They were different now. 

“So what happened, Sabrina?” He asked her after she gulped down the rest of her tea. She set down the mug on the coffee table and fiddled with her hands.

“I already told you.” She said with a little trepidation in her voice. “I couldn’t marry him, so I left and came here.” 

He sensed she was nervous to talk about it, the weight of her decision having likely set in. So he proceeded with caution. He knew exactly how to act when she got in these moods, knew exactly which buttons to avoid pushing and which ones she could handle a little pressure on.

“I know that, Spellman.” His use of her nickname calmed her raging waters just slightly. “But why?”

“ _Why?”_ She asked him with a little more bite than she meant. “Because I love you. I believe I said that already too.”

“Sabrina.” Nick paused and grabbed her hand. She bit her lip and looked at him. “I have dreamed of you showing up in my front yard and kissing me senseless for years.” She blushed at his words and smiled slightly. “But today was supposed to be your wedding day. Right now as we speak, you would be having your first dance. Believe me, I’m not complaining. I just want to know what happened?” 

“You don’t trust me.” Sabrina said with her eyes downcast. She tried to pull her hand out of Nick’s but he wouldn’t let her. She had it all wrong. He tightened his grip and then pulled her from her side of the couch and into his lap. His hand trailed from her hand to her waist to hold her to him, as her arms wrapped around his neck. 

“I trust you, Sabrina, I do. When you tell me you love me I believe you.” He caressed her cheek and chin. “I just didn’t know that until approximately two hours ago. It’s a lot to take in. Even more so for you, I can’t imagine what’s going through your head.” 

His care for her never ceased to amaze her and she softened and melted into his embrace as she let out a deep breath.

“A lot.” She said, nose pressed into the crook of his neck. Her mind was racing but like always she found comfort in his arms. “There’s a lot going on in my head, Nick.” The reality of walking out on her wedding had finally caught up with her. She didn’t regret it, but she was now realizing it was a bigger deal than she expected. “But this?” She gracefully touched his cheek and leaned up to look him in the eyes. “This I’m not confused about. I know we have a lot to figure out. But I want to be with you, Nick.” 

He kissed her forehead and it was loaded with emotion. She nuzzled back into him. 

“We don’t have to figure it all out tonight, Spellman. We have forever remember?” He felt her smile against his neck. “But I want to be with you too.”

They sat like that for a while, her in his lap while his fingers left tattoos of fire along her back. They breathed in the familiar comfort the other provided, and enjoyed the new deeper meaning in every touch. 

Suddenly as if remembering everything was still complicated she sat up, and Nick had to shift quickly so they wouldn’t bonk heads. 

“Oh my God.” She said covering her mouth.

“What?” Nick asked worried.

“Where am I going to stay? I obviously can’t go back to my apartment. Harvey lives there too.” Nick tried to interject but she kept on rambling. “I cannot go to the mortuary tonight and be bombarded with questions and I told you so’s. And all the guests are at the only hotel in Greendale...”

She covered her face with her hands and Nick finally took the opportunity to stop her rambling.

“Spellman.” He grabbed her hands from her face and she looked at him with a worried expression which furrowed her brows deeply. “You can stay here. _Obviously.”_

“Nick, I don’t want to impose anymore than I already have.”

“Oh stop it, you’re not imposition and you know it.” She smiled slightly. “You can stay as long as you need. You’re already in my clothes, drinking my tea, and sitting in my lap. You might as well take my bed too.” Her smile turns into a full blown one as he smirks at her.

“Are you sure?” She asked as she plays with the hair at the nape of his neck. He kisses her softly as means of saying yes and she sighs against his lips. “By the way I’m doing you a favor drinking that tea. You hate it.”

He laughs outright as he shifts her from his lap to a sitting position next to him on the couch and pulls her in to rest against him. 

“You hungry?” He looked at her.

“Starving. I haven’t eaten since the bite of toast I had this morning.” 

“How about I order us some pizza while you find some crappy movie to get your mind off of things.” He said handing over the clicker to the TV. The smile that she gave him told him his plans for the evening were a good choice. “I think we’ve done enough figuring out for tonight. We can talk more tomorrow.” 

She nodded at him as he winked at her and she doesn’t think she’s ever been more in love than that moment, sitting on Nick’s couch in his clothes as he orders pizza- an order that he doesn’t even have to check with her because he knows her pizza preferences by heart.”

“Thanks, Nick.” She breathed out and Nick kissed her on the top of her head once before getting off the couch in search of a takeout menu. 

She stole a glance at him leaning on the counter in his kitchen flipping through the menu. Sabrina smiled to herself as she pictured Nick ordering pizza for them for the next 60 years, and she was damn glad she made the decision she did. 


	2. Iris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after...the disastrous wedding.  
> Sabrina and Nick talk more and figure more things out.  
> And Nick takes a little trip...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter title is inspired by the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls mostly because it's just a really good song and it has a few lines in it that I think fit well. Enjoy!

Born to Love you

* * *

Iris

**And I'd give up forever to touch you**

**'Cause I know that you feel me somehow**

**You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be**

**And I don't want to go home right now**

  
  


The morning after the wedding she woke up peaceful. If anyone would have told Sabrina Spellman that the day after her wedding she’d be in Nicholas Scratch’s bed wearing his clothes and smelling like him because he was holding her so close, she would without a doubt not believe it. If Nick Scratch was told the same thing he might smile wistfully and shake his head, dreaming and wishing that it were true, knowing it would never happen.

Except it did.

Sabrina awoke in Nick’s comfortable bed wrapped up tight in his down comforter and even tighter in his arms. The previous night Nick had ordered Sabrina’s favorite, pepperoni and mushrooms, and even sprung for cheesy bread and the molten brownies as an extra surprise. Aunt Hilda’s desserts were to die for, but Sabrina had only ever admitted to Nick that she loved the local pizza joint’s brownies better. The movie she chose was _The Notebook_ , which Nick wasn’t sure was a good idea, but Sabrina insisted she’d be fine and wanted to watch one of the few romantic movies she actually enjoyed. Like he usually is when it comes to her, Nick was right and Sabrina cried more tears than what was typical of her when she watched that movie, likely relating to Allie just a tad too much. Nick just wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close while she cried, absentmindedly rubbing circles on the skin that became visible when his shirt she was wearing bunched up. 

Her mind was all over the place again and wouldn’t stop racing. She was certain she had made the right decision, but it didn’t make it all less painful. The only thing that ebbed the pain into a dull ache was the man holding her. She didn’t think she deserved him, as she was clearly a mess, and even in the few hours she’d been there she could already tell he would continue to be the steadfast presence he always was. 

It’s not that she doubted that he’d be there, he had always been a long-lasting forever figure in her life. But it still amazed her all the same that he seemed to love her as much as he did, and let her cry over the wedding that she herself walked out on. He didn’t have to ask to know what she needed, and kept true to what he knew what was best for her even when she tried to convince him otherwise. 

He was helping her pick up the pieces of her heart and put it back together. It wasn’t broken, but the gears were slightly out of place after calling off her wedding. Nick was there to hold her hand as she found her footing. 

Nick made her breakfast and encouraged her to take a bath. She put on more of his clothes when she got out, wrapping herself in his scent and soft T-shirts. She had always teased him about buying expensive, high quality, solid colored shirts. To her, there was no need to spend copious amounts of money when he could spend half the price at Target. But now she was grateful he took extra care for his wardrobe. The charcoal tee that hit at her thigh was one of the softest things she’d ever worn on her body and she didn’t want to take it off. Unless Nick was doing it. 

They hadn’t done anything more than kiss and hold each other, Nick sensing having sex was the last thing she needed, and Sabrina sensing that Nick was still in shock over the whole thing and needed to go slow. But the desire was still there. 

On one hand, they both thought they could jump right into the physical. They already knew everything, some may say too much, about each other and could tell what the other was thinking with a simple look. It would be easy for them to believe they had really been dating all their lives and they had already exchanged _I love you’s_ so they could have sex right away. On the other hand, Sabrina had just walked out on her wedding and realized her true feelings for Nick. She had no doubt they had always been there, likely from the moment he handed over his grape gushers, but had lay dormant and ignored for so long. She was too practical of a person to believe in fantasies and fate, so she had made the practical choice- Harvey. 

Except at the end of the day she had come to learn that practicality and happiness are not mutually exclusive, and she had to take a leap of faith. She didn’t have to leap far as Nick was always there to catch her, tucking his own feelings under his expensive shirts and forcing himself to be practical too, though he was more of a believer in fate. 

So they decided to wait, not for a perfect moment because those don’t exist. And not for when it was practical because Sabrina was too damn tired of being practical. But for when it felt right, and when Sabrina could look at Nick without a twinge of guilt and when Nick could close his eyes without worrying that when he opened them, she’d be off somewhere else. That time would come, but it wasn’t now. It wasn’t when Nick had wiped away her tears after watching _The Notebook_ or when he cleaned the dishes after he made her pancakes. And it wasn’t when she was pacing around the room after he did so, freaking out about explaining everything to her family.

“Spellman, talk to me.” Nick took in Sabrina’s pacing form. Her hair was still damp from her bath and it was leaving a wet mark on the shoulders of his T-shirt she was wearing, turning it from charcoal to a black. He had simply asked her what she wanted to do today, since she wouldn’t be on a plane to Mexico. And he was quickly realizing that may have been the wrong thing to ask.

“First of all, all of my stuff is at my apartment. I don’t even have a tooth brush.” She said to him.

“You can use mine.” He answered simply, smirking to himself because he thought it was funny that it was a toothbrush she was stuck on. 

“I kind of already did.” She mumbled and he chuckled. She scoffed at his laughter. “But that’s not the point, Nicholas! I don’t have any clothes, my phone and computer are still at the mortuary, and Salem,”. She paused and her eyes went wide. “Oh my God, Salem! He’s still at my place and-and he probably hasn’t eaten.”

“Sabrina.” Nick said as he grabs her hand to center her. She stops talking but her brown eyes are still full of fire. “Roz took care of Salem.”

“What?” Sabrina’s features shifted from anxiety to confusion. “How? I mean, why?”

“Because I asked her to.” Sabrina’s mouth hung open in shock as she absorbed that Nick had thought to have her best friend check in on her cat. But of course he had. _It’s Nick._ Also, Nick’s the only other human besides Sabrina that Salem can stand, a fact Nick loved because that cat was basically an extension of Sabrina herself. Also because that fact drove Harvey absolutely crazy. 

“Nick.” Sabrina breathed out as she squeezed his hand tighter. “Thank you.”

He didn’t know how much this simple act meant to her. But he hadn't done it to win him brownie points or to stay on her good side. He had done it without thought, like there was no question that taking care of Sabrina also meant taking care of her ornery cat. That had made it mean even more to her.

“When did you talk to her?” Sabrina asked after a charged moment. 

“She texted me yesterday, later after you showed up, just to make sure that you weren’t in a ditch or anything. I talked to her quickly after ordering the pizza.” Sabrina nodded her head, inviting Nick to continue. “She went over and picked up Salem and he went willingly apparently.” She smiled slightly at that, picturing Roz trying to wrangle her cat. “I also asked her to pick up some things for you. In case you were gonna be staying with her for a few days. Or I was going to have her drop them off here.”

Sabrina’s eyes started to water and Nick suddenly grew worried that he had overstepped.

“Sabrina I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-” he quickly tried to explain himself and ran a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have meddled.”

“No.” Sabrina cut him off, grabbing at his hand that was going for another round in his curls. He tentatively looked in her eyes. “That’s just so thoughtful, Nick.” 

Nick took a deep breath, thanking the heavens he hadn’t offended her. 

“I was going to call her again this morning after I told you. Do you want her to drop stuff off here? She can just leave it on the porch if you don’t want to see anyone. Do you want me to take you there?”

“No here.” She said with a firm nod. “Definitely here. And she can come in, I’d like to see her.” 

“Okay.” Nick said while leaning over to kiss her on the forehead. Her eyes fluttered shut at the gesture. “I’ll go call her now then. I’ll tell her to her to bring Salem too.” He winked at her as he headed to the kitchen. Sabrina’s heart couldn’t take the love of the man in front of her, it couldn’t take the love she had for him. She had never bought into the fairytales her aunt Hilda used to tell. But she was starting to think she might. 

-

A soft knock on the door pulled Sabrina’s head from Nick’s shoulder. He placed a soft hand on her knee before getting up to answer it. He figured it was probably Roz, but that didn’t stop him from swallowing down a ball of fear that it was Harvey showing up to try and get Sabrina back. The worry was so real, so palpable he almost choked on it.

But it disintegrated quickly, yet not completely, when he opened his door to find Roz behind it. She had a bag over her shoulder and a cat carrier in her other hand, a gentle smile on her face. 

“Hey, Nick.” She said to him in that kind way she always had. He thinks to himself that he might have the support of at least one of Sabrina’s friends.

“Hi, Roz.” He said back, indicating for her to come in. As she stepped through the door, Nick took everything from her hands, and bent down to let Salem out who darted off in search of Sabrina immediately. “Thanks for coming over.”

“Thanks for taking care of her.” Roz replied to him, her smile growing.

“Always.” Nick nodded back at her. A thousand words were exchanged in the few they just spoke to each other, and Roz knew that Sabrina would be okay. Better than okay if she had to harbor a guess. “Sabrina’s in the living room.” 

To his surprise, Roz moved to pull Nick in for a quick hug. It’s not that he wasn’t a hugger, but he’d only really ever hugged Sabrina. Sometimes Hilda, never Prudence or his other sisters, but the friendly hug felt nice to him. 

When it was over, Nick led the way to the living room where Sabrina was sitting on the couch.

“I’m gonna go put your stuff in the room.” Nick said to Sabrina, giving the two friends a moment alone.

“So.” Roz said as she sat down with her friend, making note of Nick’s clothes Sabrina was wearing but she didn’t comment. She grabbed Sabrina’s hand and looked her in the eyes. “I’m not gonna ask how you’re doing because that's a shitty question to ask someone who was supposed to get married, and didn’t.”

Sabrina giggled, and Roz felt accomplished, enjoying that she made her friend smile. She wasn’t sure what she would walk into when Nick called her to get some of her stuff and come on over. Harvey stayed with Theo the night before and had apparently been a mess. He had only ever loved Sabrina, and it was his worst fear that she would leave him for Nicholas Scratch. Roz herself had thought it was only a matter of time before Sabrina realized her true feelings for Nick. Roz had seen it clear as day since they were kids that their bond went deeper than friendship. She had been unsurprised when Sabrina ran to tell her both times they had almost kissed. She was surprised however, that it hadn’t ever actually happened.

“Honestly, Roz? I’m okay.” Sabrina smiled softly and looked down at her fingers. “I mean my brain is all over the place but my heart is clear.”

“You’re happy with your decision?” Roz asked because she had to check. Sabrina Spellman tended to run head first into whatever “brilliant” idea she had, and rarely thought twice about it before pulling the trigger. Sabrina didn’t hesitate answering Roz’s question, clarity in her voice.

“I am.” Sabrina nodded and scooted herself closer to her friend. “It’s like it just makes sense with Nick. I mean it’s been less than 24 hours since I showed up here but,”. She paused to take a breath. “But it’s _Nick,_ Roz. It’s always been Nick. It’s always gonna be him.”

Roz smiled and opened her mouth to say something when Nick walked back in the room, as if on cue. He leaned over where she was sitting on the couch and rested his hands on the back of it.

“What do you think about me heading over to the mortuary to get the rest of your stuff?” He asked her quickly. Sabrina’s eyes went wide with shock, though Roz looked like she had been expecting him to offer this whole time. 

“You’d do that?” Sabrina breathed out.

“Of course.” Nick answered obviously. “I know you still have things there and I figured...I figured I could stave off your aunts for a while. At least until you were ready to see them.” 

“Please.” Sabrina answered them as relief flooded her face. She was not ready to face her aunts or her cousin. She wasn’t embarrassed, she just wanted to live in her bubble with Nick for at least more than a day. She was happy Roz was there, but she didn’t want to see anyone else. 

“Sure.” Nick nodded and then stuck his hands in his pockets. “What do you want me to tell them if they ask?”

Sabrina considered him for only a moment. She knew the answer before he even asked her.

“Tell them the truth. You can say that I didn’t want to marry Harvey. I wanted to be with you.” Sabrina picked at her fingers but looked at him as she told him, a small and shy smirk poking through. His own smile was wide as he winked at her and leaned down to kiss her head. He offered a small wave to Roz before saying goodbye and heading out the door. 

Roz took in Sabrina’s dreamy smile and made a secret wish to herself that Sabrina and Nick would work out. She didn’t have any doubts they would, but a little extra good juju never hurt.

“Roz?” Sabrina asked cautiously. One look in Sabrina’s eyes and Roz knew what question was coming. Sabrina sighed deeply before getting the words out. “How is he?”

Roz sighed heavily too. There was no use in sugar coating it for the runaway bride. 

“Not great, ‘Brina. He’s devastated.” A soft sob echoed through the blonde as she put her face in her hands. Roz leaned over and put her hand on Sabrina’s knee. “I haven’t seen him, but I talked to Theo on the way over here. Harvey’s at his and Robin’s house for now. We agreed to split up, me taking you and him taking Harvey.”

“I really didn’t want to hurt him.” Sabrina explained while shaking her head. Her brown eyes were glistening with tears and looked even bigger than they normally did. “I swear it. I really did intend to marry him. Then I just...I just couldn’t, Roz.”

“I know, Brina.” Roz said quickly and then softer, “I know. I think deep down Harvey knows it too, and someday he’ll be grateful you didn’t go through with it. But right now...he’s always struggled with Nick so I think that’s just making it harder.” Roz pressed her lips together knowing that what she was about to say might hurt, but Sabrina has always been able to handle her tough love. “You didn’t just leave Harvey, Sabrina. You left him for Nick, the guy he’s always been jealous of.”

More tears poured down her face at the thought of Harvey hurting so much. She did love him, he was one of her very best friends, and she hated that she was the one that hurt him.

“But even with all that being said and despite the fact that he’s hurting, I think you made the right decision.” Roz said in a softer voice as Sabrina perked up, eager to have Roz’s support.

“You do?” Sabrina squeaked out. 

“Yes.” Roz answered firmly and reached over to wipe the tear that trickled down Sabrina’s face. “I can see clearly after spending two minutes with you and Nick that you love each other, wholeheartedly. And honestly? I’ve seen it for years.”

“It was the way Nick was looking at me when he burst in my room. I could just see it in his eyes and...I just knew it was him. Harvey had never looked at me like that and I realized...Nick was the only one who ever had.” 

“Sounds like it was meant to be.” Both women smiled and then Roz’s smile turned playful. “I do wish you would have realized sooner than an hour before the wedding…” she paused and Sabrina snorted back a small laugh at Roz’s teasing. “But you got there eventually, before you both made a huge mistake.” 

“Thanks, Roz.” Sabrina said smiling again, the tears having stopped. Roz pulled Sabrina in for a tight hug, filled with love and understanding. When they pulled apart Roz smiled again and leaned in close, speaking in a whisper.

“Okay now that that’s done,”. Roz smirked as Sabrina raised her eyebrows. “Tell me _everything_.”

Sabrina giggled and broke out into the story that she had been replaying in her head since she jumped out of her car in the wedding dress, eager to tell her friend how it felt to finally kiss the love of her life.

-

Nick took a deep breath before he bounded up the porch steps to the Mortuary. The buzz that surrounded the house that was present yesterday was gone, the property almost eerily quiet except for the sound of tables and chairs being stacked up. They still sat unused in the backyard. 

When he got to the door he almost knocked but he didn’t, hoping maybe he’d be lucky enough to sneak in and out without running into the Aunts or Ambrose. He should have known his luck was all used up when Sabrina showed up in his front yard. He was barely in the foyer when he heard his name.

“Nicholas?” It was Aunt Hilda. He supposed of the three she is the preferred one to run into, always hovering and mothering over him for as long as he can remember. The look on her face was unreadable, and Nick wasn’t sure if she was happy to see him or if he was in trouble.

“Hi, Aunt Hilda.” Nick chanced and greeted her respectfully. He had always referred to Sabrina’s Aunts with their prefix, trying to be respectful and pretending that they were his family too. 

She was paused in the kitchen doorway, a towel in her hands. She finished drying them before setting it down on an end table and going to him and raising her hand. Nick had always thought Zelda would be the one to smack him, she never had but she was the harsher one. Except Hilda didn’t smack him. The contact her palm made with his cheek was soft, gentle, and she finally smiled.

“Oh, sweet boy.” She said before lowering her hand. Nick’s eyes nearly filled with tears. He did not expect to be accepted so warmly after what had happened yesterday.

“I’m sorry. I-”. Nick choked on the words. “I didn’t mean...I never meant-”

“Hush, Nicholas.” Hilda interrupted him in the firm and gentle way that only she could. “All’s happened as it should, hmm?” She raised her eyebrows at Nick and he nodded while smiling slightly. She opened her arm and gestured to the kitchen. “How about some coffee? I know you’re not a tea drinker like our Sabrina. But I’ve got a pot brewing.”

“Yes, thank you.” He answered quickly, still a little uneasy. He had one more Spellman who wasn’t angry with him, he was hoping Zelda and Ambrose wouldn’t be either. 

Hilda sat down and served him black coffee, like she had since he started drinking it, and poured herself some tea. 

“So what are you doing here, dear?” Hilda asked him cautiously. “I figured you’d be with Sabrina.” 

“I was- I am.” He corrected. “She’s at my place now, Roz is with her. I just came by to pick up the rest of her stuff that was here and let you guys know how she was doing if I ran into someone.”

Hilda’s face softened even more, if that was even possible.

“That’s very kind of you. So are the two of you…”

She trailed off as Zelda’s booming voice bounced off the walls, mixing with the sound of her heels walking down the hall.

“Hilda, who are you talking to?” She walked into the kitchen and paused as she took in Nick sitting at their table. She had her newspaper in one hand, classic cigar holder in the other, and her eyes narrowed. “Nicholas.”

Prudence and Ambrose chose that moment to walk in the kitchen door as well in search of some breakfast. 

“Well well well,”. Ambrose began as he sat down on a chair. Prudence eyed her brother suspiciously. “What do we have here, Nicholas?”

“I just came by to pick up some of Sabrina’s things.” He said slowly with six pairs of Spellman eyes and his sisters on him.

“So Sabrina is with you?” Zelda boomed. “Well good, I’m glad she’s not dead.”

“Zelda!” Hilda warned as Ambrose chuckled. The gleeful look on his face made Nick feel a tad less nervous, but he was still unsure about Zelda Spellman.

“What?” Zelda argued. “The girl ran out on her wedding and doesn’t tell anyone where she’s going and if she’s okay.”

“I think we knew where she was going.” Ambrose quipped and pointed a finger in the air and then at Nick. “Technically, Auntie, Nick did text me when Sabrina showed up.” 

“Did you now, Nicholas.” Zelda feigned incredulousness. “Why didn’t you tell the rest of us?”

“Well…”. Nick bit his lip and then just went for it, knowing his answer might make her angry. “I figured Ambrose was the Spellman least likely to show up at my door too and what Sabrina needed was not to be bombarded by questions.” 

“And what she needs is you, is it?” Zelda challenged with a raise of her eyebrows. 

“Seems that way.” Nick answered with a small nod. He could see his sister and Hilda smiling out of the corner of his eye. “But that’s entirely up to Sabrina, not me.”

Zelda began to falter as she witnessed the obvious love Nicholas had for her niece. And she wasn’t mad at him, not really.

“Oh come on, Auntie. You’re not actually mad Sabrina finally figured it out and went after Nicholas are you? You always hated Harvey. You’re just mad you didn’t get to throw a big party.”

Nick tried really hard not to snort at that. Zelda’s glare returned but it was directed at Ambrose instead. She decided to ignore his comment entirely. 

“And why didn’t _you_ tell us that Sabrina was okay?” She asked him.

“I was busy.” Ambrose said slyly with a wink and a smirk as he wrapped his arm around Prudence. She rolled her eyes and knocked his arm off.

“Aunt Zelda.” Nick stole Zelda’s attention again and her fiery gaze simmered when she looked at him. “I love your niece, more than anything. Know it was never my intention to hurt anyone.” 

Zelda pursed her lips for a moment and sat down next to Nick and in a strange turn of events grabbed his hand.

“Nicholas, I have known you since you were six years old. And I know that you love Sabrina. That is clear in the fact you watched her be with Harvey all these years, and said nothing of your true feelings. You’ve hurt no one in this house. Quite the opposite actually.” She let go of his hand and her smile turned sly. “How you turned into a good man with Blackwood as your guardian, I’ll never know.”

“That is because of you.” Nick turned to Hilda and continued to be serious despite Zelda’s joking manner. “And you, Aunt Hilda. Because of your family.”

Hilda’s hand clutched her chest as she smiled and tears formed in her eyes. Zelda looked proud as Ambrose rolled his eyes. 

“You’re a part of this family too, Nicholas dear.” Hilda came over and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now more than ever.” 

Nick smiled at the Aunts, letting a tear of his own fall before Ambrose ruined the moment with fake sick noises in mock of them. Nick chuckled and looked over at him and said,

“Love you too, man.” 

“Whatever this is getting too sappy for me. Come, Prudence, there’s plenty of uneaten dessert that we can chow down for breakfast. Nick, if you’re here for Sabrina’s things you know where her room is.” Then he was gone, intending to avoid helping him get Sabrina’s lost items. He was pulling Prudence with him who nodded at Nick in a way that told him they’d have their talk later. 

“I’m gonna-.” Nick said and pointed at the stairs indicating he was heading up to Sabrina’s old room. The aunts nodded at him, but Zelda followed him out shortly after he left.

“Nicholas.” She said to him and he paused on the stairs expectantly. “I always knew it was you.” Nick smiled slightly to himself, silently jumping for joy that he had Zelda Spellman’s approval. He turned to go but she stopped him again. “One more thing. Please tell Sabrina we’re proud of her.” She said the last part seriously. “Tell her I’m proud of her.”

“I will.” Nick answered and she winked at him before heading into her study. Nick felt lighter heading up the winding stairs to Sabrina’s teenage room. 

He had a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot I loved about writing this chapter. I know Sabrina seems like she's all over the place, but she really does feel confident in her decision. But she did just leave someone at the altar and our girl has the biggest heart so it's gonna affect her. And Nick isn't going anywhere, clearly given he's loved her for 20 years. So they're taking it slow.
> 
> The Aunts/Nick dialogue exchanges were some of my favorite parts this chapter. I think Zelda and Hilda are really Team Nick (at least in this universe) and I wanted to showcase it.
> 
> Also I love some supportive best friend moments. #GoRoz. 
> 
> As always if there's a scene you want to see or a song you have an idea for let me know!


	3. Hesitate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabrina and Nick find their footing, and its normal to stumble a bit along the way. As long as they stumble together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it totally wasn't my intention for this update to be this long. But I liked how things were going so I didn't want to cut it off just yet. Things will pick up more after this update, but lets see Nick and Sabrina work through some things, shall we? 
> 
> Named after Hesitate by the Jonas Brothers because I love them and this song and Joe wrote it for Sohpie and its just so damn cute. And also like, Nick and Sabrina let the other person help you. Come on.

**Born to Love you**

Hesitate

**Lay it on me, all you're hold, hold, holding**

**Time, time only heals if we work through it now**

**And I promise we'll figure this out**

* * *

Sabrina spent a few days at Nick’s, Roz having gathered enough clothing to last her some time. They settled into a routine, and had more hard conversations. Sabrina shared with him that it was his gaze in her bedroom that had flipped the lid of her relationship and made her truly believe that Nick was the one. Nick told Sabrina that he had gone into her room with the intention of blurting out how he felt, and to ask her to run away with him. But after seeing her in her beautiful white dress, most definitely the most stunning bride he had ever seen and the woman he loved beyond reason, he couldn’t bring himself to put her in that position. 

She stayed hidden in his house for a week before she finally ventured out. He stayed with her all day for some of it that time, using a few of the copious amounts of vacation days he had built up. But when a particularly complicated murder a few towns over came through, he had to go into the office. 

“I can call in and fake sick.” He told her as she poured him a to-go mug of black coffee. She was standing in the kitchen with no makeup and even though Roz brought her clothes, she still preferred wearing his T-shirts to bed. She looked more beautiful than she ever had and he wanted nothing more than to spend another day with her by his fireplace reading horror books and talking about everything and nothing, making out in between. “You know I’m good at it. I did it all the time in high school.”

“And how you still managed to graduate top of the class and with a football scholarship, I’ll never know.” She said bluntly, but a smile was dancing across her perfect lips. “But no. You can’t do that, Nick. You’re a big boy who needs to get back to work.”

“But-”. He tried to whine but she interrupted him by shoving his coffee mug in his hands.

“And I’m a big girl who can handle the day with you gone.” She explained and cocked her head to the side with a small smile. “Trust me I’m gonna miss you like hell. This last week has been amazing”. She paused to peck his lips once. “But we need to find our new reality.” She tapped his chest and pressed her lips together. “Starting with me finally going to the mortuary. It’s time to face the music.”

“Do you want to wait for me to get home?” He offered and she smiled at the gesture. “We can go over together.” 

“No.” She said with a sigh. “I appreciate it but I think I need to go alone.”

“Okay.” Nick responded with a supportive nod and moved closer to kiss her one more time. She leaned into it and brushed her hand against his cheek. She pulled away abruptly when she realized what time it was. He was going to be late.

“Shit, Nick, you have to go.” He gave her a pout when she pulled away. It made her heart swoon.

“One more?” He asked innocently but there was nothing innocent about the look she gave him. She leaned up and brushed her lips with his just barely before she pulled away. He gasped when she refused him the contact. “Tease!”

“Gotta give you a reason to come home.” She smirked at him as she backed away and leaned against the counter on the other side of the kitchen.

“I have a reason.” He said firmly with a smile plastered on his face. The goofy look did not diminish the sincerity of his statement nor did it lessen the waves of love that rolled off of him, hitting her like a ton of bricks. 

For a few beats they just stared at one another, taking in the moment for what it was, another declaration and a hint of what their lives could look like, if they allowed themselves to have it.

“Go.” Sabrina said softly, her voice breaking a little from the intense moment. He nods his head at her before making eye contact one last time.

“I love you.” He said. Hearing the words again shook her to her core in the best way.

“I love you too.” She said and then turned teasing. “Now get out of here, it’s not like you’re off to war. I’ll see you in a few hours.” 

Nick winked once at her before turning around and heading to work. When the door closed Sabrina let out a deep breath, using the counter for support as she steadied herself. Her body needed a moment to collect itself after Nick’s steady gaze. She thought she could get used to this, pouring Nick’s coffee and kissing him goodbye. She never wanted to send Harvey off for the day. He’d always gotten up too early to head to the mines and never kissed her before he left. Or he’d be annoyed that she made his coffee wrong and be in too much of a hurry to say I love you. But she’d get up at the crack of dawn for Nick, and she’d kiss him and force him out the door every day for the rest of her life.

-

Sabrina exhaled once heavily as she made her way up the steps of the mortuary. She had exchanged a few texts with Ambrose and Nick had assured her Aunts that she was okay and was figuring it all out, and they had thankfully respected her wishes and didn’t come storming over to Nick’s house. But it had been a week and it was about time to see them and explain, and take whatever it was that they were going to say to her.

She had checked with Ambrose just to make sure they were all home but figured showing up unannounced to the Aunts was her best chance at not getting yelled at, as they wouldn’t have a chance to plan a lecture. Nick had told her they didn’t seem angry and supported them, but they had always adored him. The aunts had raised Sabrina so she was usually the one that got the brunt of the conversation when the two caused trouble. 

She eased her way into the front door, but the thing was so old and loud. She cursed at the screeching creak it made as she opened it, choosing this moment to be the loudest it had ever been. She didn’t even bother tiptoeing in as she figured the damn door announced her arrival anyways, so she took another deep breath and stood in the foyer waiting for her family to make their entrance.

“Aunties! Ambrose!” She called aloud figuring she’d get it over with. After only a few seconds the three other Spellmans burst in, Ambrose from the downstairs embalming room, Hilda the kitchen and Zelda out of her study. “Hey, fam.” She spoke with a little wave. No one said anything at first, them all just staring at her. But it was Ambrose who broke the silence with a smug smile. He crossed his arms and looked at her as if he knew all her dirty little secrets. 

“Well if it isn’t our very own runaway bride.” He teases as Hilda gasped at his joke. He only raised his eyebrows higher. “Finally come home after a week with your not so secret lover?” 

“Nice to see you too, Ambrose.” Sabrina said as she stepped further into the house and rolled her eyes. 

“Oh come here, love.” It was Aunt Hilda who spoke next. The look she wore wasn’t exactly pitying, but it did have a hint of _I’m sorry_ to it. She wrapped Sabrina into a hug and held her tight. Hilda Spellman smelled of vanilla and honey, likely having spent the morning baking. Sabrina didn’t expect a hug from Zelda, those were only donned out on special occasions, and her hug would likely smell of expensive perfume and cigarettes.

“Shall we go and have a sit?” Zelda suggested, her trusty smoking stick in hand. “Hilda can bring in tea. Or whiskey if we need it.” 

“I’m in!” Ambrose said jovially and clapped his gloved hands together. “Let me just go wash the recent body off of me.” Sabrina gave him a grossed out look before he disappeared downstairs and she made her way into the parlor. 

Sabrina took her seat as Aunt Hilda poured her tea and though it was delicious, somehow the tea Nick made tasted better. 

“So,”. Sabrina slapped her hands on her lap and pressed her lips together, not really sure where to begin. “How are you?” 

Her aunts’ faces contort at the question and Ambrose scoffs as he waltzes in and plops himself on a chair. He grabs a cookie dramatically and takes a bite before talking, pieces of shortbread falling out of his lips as he spoke. 

“How are we?” He scoffed a second time. “Tell us, cousin, how are you? You’re the one who ran out of your wedding.”

“I’m doing…” she paused trying to find the perfect words to describe her last week. “Good actually.” 

“Nick said you were doing pretty okay.” Hilda said gently leaning forward. At the mention of him, the corners of Sabrina’s lips turned upward out of complete reflex. “Things are going well there then?”

Sabrina moves to answer but Zelda’s booming voice interrupts, fingers squeezing the bridge of her nose.

“I for one am glad you left that god-awful miner.”

“Aunt Zee!” Sabrina answered, not shocked that something like that fell from her aunt’s mouth but scandalized all the same. “Harvey was perfectly wonderful.”

“In this case, cousin, wonderful is synonymous with boring.” Ambrose quipped and Sabrina’s mouth fell open again. 

“Ambrose!” Sabrina turned to her Aunt Hilda for support. 

“Now, now.” Hilda said gently in an attempt to calm the mood. “We liked Harvey well enough, love. He was good to you in high school...well except for being anti Stanford I guess…”

“He was good to me after high school too.” Sabrina argued.

“So then why leave him?” Ambrose asked her, leaning forward to egg her on more. “If he was oh so wonderful and good to you?” Sabrina’s mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to find the right words to retort. After a few beats she took another deep steadying breath, and said the words she knew in her heart to be true.

“Because I’m in love with Nick.” Sabrina explained simply. Hilda smiled brightly while both Zelda and Ambrose looked smug, like they finally got their prisoner to reveal all their secrets. But Sabrina was happy to spill her guts when it came to this. “And I came to realize I didn’t love Harvey like I should. Not when I was supposed to marry him.”

“And you realized this on the day of your wedding?” Zelda asked her.

“I think I’ve loved Nick...forever.” Sabrina couldn’t hide her smile, and even Ambrose’s smug expression left his lips at his cousin’s happiness. “Nick certainly claims to have loved me that long.” She shakes her head as she thinks about it. “I don’t know why it took me putting on a wedding dress and almost marrying someone else for it to all come together, but it did. It was just simply and unmistakably always Nick.” She shrugged her shoulders once. “So I absolutely couldn’t marry Harvey.”

“Damn.” Ambrose said, shaking his own head and being sincere for once, clearly moved by the story of Sabrina falling in love with her best friend. Hilda had both of her hands against her heart, basically giddy. But it was Zelda Sabrina turned to next.

“I’m sorry about all this, Aunt Zee. I know we spent a lot of money and there was no party-”

“Oh hush, girl.” Zelda cut her niece off and took a puff of her cigarette before putting it out and moving to sit by Sabrina on the couch. “I meant it when I told Nicholas I was proud of you.” She smoothed down Sabrina’s hair in a motherly gesture. “All I want is for you to be happy. And if that’s with Nicholas and not Harvey?” She shrugged her shoulders too. “I can’t say I’m surprised or unhappy about that. You know we love that boy and always have since the two of you met in the grief group and became some sort of package deal.” 

Sabrina giggled as she remembered a tiny and quiet Nick letting her be the one to make him laugh and her being the one he gave his favorite flavor of gushers to. 

“I am happy.” Sabrina stated. “I feel guilty that I hurt Harvey. He didn’t deserve any of this...but I’m happier than I’ve been in a while. And it all just feels right.”

“Oh, yay!” Hilda claps her hands together. “We need to celebrate. Where is Nicholas anyways?”

“He got called into work, some big murder over in Springdale.”

“Call him and tell him to come over for dinner when he’s through.” Hilda encouraged.

“He might be late since he’s been off for a few days. So it’ll be just us if that’s okay.”

“Sounds perfect.” Zelda said. “Hilda, make a roast. I’ll go grab some of the wedding champagne we never got to use and can’t return.”

When the aunts left the room it was just Sabrina and her cousin.

“So, cousin.” His smugness was back. “Is he as good a kisser as everyone says?”

“Ambrose!” Sabrina responded pretending to be scandalized. But then she got a smug look of her own. “The best.” She winked and walked off in the direction of the kitchen intending to help her Aunt cook a strange celebration meal, one that celebrates walking out of her wedding and into the arms of the one she should have always been with. Nick.

-

That night Nick does in fact get home late and Sabrina is already fast asleep in his bed by the time he gets home. He’s as quiet as he can be as he dresses down and throws on pajama pants-no shirt as Sabrina prefers it that way. He can’t take his eyes off of her. There she is, Sabrina Spellman with her ethereal hair shining even brighter with the moonlight streaming through his window in another one of his shirts hugging a pillow tightly because he’s not home yet to fold her into his arms. Her face is peaceful and she looks blissfully happy in this sleeping state, and he swears she looked that happy that morning too. He certainly was. He slipped himself into the bed softly and gently trying not to wake her. She stirred but didn't wake, and it was like her body subconsciously noticed he was there because she let go of the pillow and grabbed onto him instead. The stress of the day poured out of him quickly now that she was in his arms so he turned his head slightly to kiss her hair. The content sigh she let out was the sweet melody that put him to sleep and kept him safe. 

He didn’t have to work the next morning so when they woke up he made her breakfast and tea again and she poured his coffee. They fluttered around the kitchen and he couldn’t keep his eyes or hands off of her. The pancakes were slightly overcooked and his coffee got cold but they didn’t care, both thoroughly woken up by their lips on the other. 

“So how was the mortuary yesterday?” He asked her as they sat on the couch. She was sitting with her back to the arm of it again, legs thrown in his lap. He smiled at the image realizing that mornings with her on his couch before she thought to put on her lipstick or adorn her hair with her headbands were his new favorite thing.

“It was good actually.” Sabrina smiled with a nod. “The aunts were supportive and Ambrose only mocked me slightly.” 

Nick chuckled as she rolled her eyes, remembering the jokes her cousin threw her way in an attempt to get her to smile and share the more intimate details about her and Nick’s new romance. But what Ambrose didn’t know is that the closeness the two we’re experiencing wasn’t quite to that point, though not for lack of wanting.

“Sorry I couldn’t make it for dinner.” Nick apologized as he started to massage her feet. 

“Oh no worries.” Sabrina waved him off with her hand but her eyes rolled back as he started to work the tension out. “Probably best anyways as you wouldn’t want to have been present for the interrogation about my living situation.”

“What?” Nick asked with a laugh.

“If Hilda had her way, she’d be moving me into the mortuary right now as we speak.”

Nick laughed again and her laughter followed, her heart fluttering at the sound of it falling from his lips.

Sabrina filled him in on how she had explained to her aunts that she was letting Harvey keep the house, a decision communicated with Theo as the middleman. She’d continue to cover her part of the rent until the lease was up in a few months. The aunts had congratulated her on making a gracious choice and had been ready for her to say she was moving back in. Aunt Hilda had all but pulled out paint swabs in case she wanted to redecorate her room. But she wouldn’t go back to the mortuary. 

The Aunts broke out into a lecture then, one she had expected, on how it was irresponsible of her to jump into moving in with Nicholas. They pointed out to her that though Sabrina claimed that she knew Nick was forever, she had said the same about Harvey and that had ended in disaster. They thought moving in together was them moving far too quickly. Staying with him for a week was one thing, but moving into his house and his bed right after leaving her fiancée at the altar and realizing her feelings for her best friend was undoubtedly not smart.

Sabrina let her Aunts’ lecture run its course while Ambrose kept his mouth shut, likely being afraid to say his opinion. When they finally finished, Sabrina took another deep breath and told them she agreed with them, and Nick did too. 

Their mouths hung open and Sabrina rolled her eyes and explained that she and Nick had this very conversation and had agreed to take things slow. Sabrina needed time before she lived with her boyfriend again, and Nick was in full support of that. They both knew they were headed in that direction and would get there eventually, but didn’t need to do it now. 

When the Aunts calmed down, realizing Sabrina wasn’t jumping into living with Nick, the evening proceeded nicely and Ambrose only teased her a few times. Nick chuckled at Sabrina’s retelling of the conversation, picturing their horrified faces easily. He’d seen them many times before when he and Sabrina wreaked havoc around the mortuary, the time they dyed the dog Vinegar Tom pink being among the top ten. 

“So, what did they say about you moving in with Roz?” Nick asked her, because that was the decision that was made. Roz had an extra room and it was only a few blocks from Nick’s place, and the friends had never gotten the chance to live together so they wanted to have the fun while they could. 

“They were calm about it.” Sabrina explained. “I think Hilda would still rather me be there, she’s worried I’m going to combust or something. But they agree that it’s a smarter choice than here.” Nick nodded in response and Sabrina grew suddenly worried. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “You’re not upset I’m not living here, are you?” 

He squeezed it right back.

“Absolutely not.” He lifted their hands then and kissed them. “I want you to be happy and I want to give us our best shot. I think you living with Roz will do that.” He pauses again to smile at her. “You need your best friend right now.” 

“ _You’re_ my best friend, Nick.” She emphasized and raised her eyebrows for effect. 

“Okay, but she’s Roz.” Nick said, raising his own eyebrows and trying to hide the satisfied smile at her words. He painted his face in a way that told her he understood her relationship with Roz was special and different and totally needed. “I think you living with her is a good thing.”

“Good.” She smiled shyly and leaned over to kiss him softly. “Me too.” She pulled back and pointed her finger at him and spoke in a bossy tone. “Don’t think I won’t be over here all the time though.”

“I’d expect nothing less, Spellman.” He nodded his head in firm agreement, though a smirk poked through. “And you better not miss a Wednesday.”

“Why?” She cocked her head to the side and faked confusion. His eyes narrowed at her playfully. “What’s so special about Wednesdays.” 

“You little devil.” Nick whispered as he picked up a couch pillow and smacked her with it. Her mouth fell open as she choked out a laugh.

“You’re gonna regret that, Scratch.” She warned.

“Oh yeah?” He lifted his head once and smirked at her. “Make me.”

It became an all out pillow fight then, something they hadn’t done in years. It got more intense, with the two throwing pillows at each other from behind couches and chairs, fits of laughter and fake threats echoing in the air. It ended how it had in the past too, with Sabrina pinning him to the ground and tickling him in all the places he’d never admit were sensitive. Nicholas Scratch was the epitome of cool and even though he was average height, you could still refer to him as tall, dark, and handsome. But he was more ticklish than a toddler and Sabrina loved to torture him, knowing all the places that would make him squirm. When he finally cried out for mercy having nearly lost his breath from laughing so hard, he took her pause to flip them around so he was on top.

“Cheater!” She cried and he laughed at her annoyance. “I don’t know what you’re doing, I’m not ticklish.” She smiled proudly but his smirk only deepened. He leaned in to her so his lips rested just above hers but didn’t brush them.

“I always know what I’m doing, Spellman.” He heard her sigh and lean up to close the centimeter distance, but he pulled away much like she did the previous morning. “I’m gonna go shower.” He got up and left her frustrated on the floor. The gasp that fell from her lips made him chuckle.

“Nicholas Scratch!” She yelled at him as she moved to sit cross legged, much like a child who was in time out. Her bottom lip was sticking out and he thought it was fucking adorable. “Now who’s the tease?”

“I had to give you a reason to stay through lunch.” He said, words similar to hers. She considered answering in a teasing way, but settled on something different.

“I have a reason.” She responded to him with a genuine smile. He decided to abandon his plan of making her wait, he was kidding himself anyways if he thought he could _not_ kiss her now that he was allowed to. He walked the few steps to her and leaned down to kiss her soundly. She reciprocated and pulled him down to the floor with her for a few minutes. Soon she was the one to pull away and giggled against his lips.

“Sucker.” She teased him, but he didn’t care. She could tease him every second of every day if she kissed him like that. He rolled his eyes but still smiled brightly at her. She ruffled his hair and crinkled her nose. “Now go shower, Scratch.” 

-

Nick was sitting on his couch when Sabrina came out of his room. She was wearing a pair of leggings and an old Stanford T-shirt and her hair was pulled back as well as it could for being short. He could tell by the way she walked down the hall, hesitant and too quick at the same time, that she was nervous and overthinking what they were about to do. He knew the questions were coming, but he was prepared to answer them and do whatever she wanted. 

“So that was Theo on the phone, I’m all good to get my stuff.” She said and bit her lip nervously. She was actively trying to avoid his eyes. 

“Okay.” Nick nodded along with her, not saying anything else because he knew she had more to say.

“I really need to move my stuff today.” She started playing with her fingers. “School starts on Monday and I really want to be settled before the school year..”

“Okay, so let’s get going.” Nick stood up and went to her, grabbing her hand to encourage her to keep going. “Unless something is wrong.” 

She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head slowly.

“Harvey’s gonna be there.” Nick was shocked, that he was not expecting. “He was supposed to be away for the day but now he’s not and he won’t leave. He knows I need to come get my stuff and he says I still can but...he’s gonna be there.” 

“Okay.” Nick said and nodded again. “So let’s go and get it over with. Get you settled into your new place with Roz.” 

“You’re still gonna help?” She asks him as her eyes open wide. He almost gets lost in them. 

“Yes, Spellman, I’m still going to help.” He took a breath. “I’m going to help my girlfriend move into her new house.” 

“But Harvey’s going to be there.” Sabrina explained, not grasping how he was okay with coming face to face with her ex-fiance. “What if he tries something?” 

“I can handle Harvey Kinkle.” Nick said as-matter-of-factly as he tucked hair behind her ears and smiled at her. 

“Thank you, Nick.” She said to him and reached for him to hug her. She melted in his arms, feeling the comfort there he’d always provided. 

“I have always and will always do anything for you, Sabrina Spellman.” He whispered into her ear. She only clung to him tighter. When they broke apart she brushed her fingers against his jaw.

“You know I’d do anything for you too right, Nick?” She asked him, her big, brown eyes shining at him. 

“I do.” He answered her. “Except let me eat my grape gushes.”

She hung her head back in laughter and he smiled wide, satisfied in making her happy.

“You gave them to me. _And_ didn’t tell me you liked them for 20 years.” She retorted as she pulled him out the door. 

“Whatever, Spellman.” He said as he made his way to his truck. He had traded in his high school car years ago for a truck that she was thankful he had now so they could use it for the move. But she definitely teased him endlessly for the sleek, black, chevy when she first saw it, and would probably go right back to teasing him about it as soon as the day was done. 

-

The saving grace of the move was that Theo, Roz and Ambrose had shown up to help too. Had it been just Harvey, Sabrina and Nick in the tiny salt-box house it would have been a disaster. When they walked in Harvey barely looked at them and said nothing, centering his focus on the video game he was playing. The only contact he attempted was the dirtiest glare that had ever graced his face, and it was directed at Nick. Nick remained steady, with a neutral expression. 

He really did feel bad for the guy. For the longest time, longer than he’d like to admit, he’d been jealous of Harvey Kinkle. Harvey had been the guy Sabrina had dated, and then the one she was going to marry. But now Harvey Kinkle was the guy that had but then lost Sabrina Spellman. He never wanted to be that guy. So he’d swallow his pride and whatever comment he was dying to make and be civil enough to get this day over with. There was tension in the air and Nick didn’t know if grabbing Sabrina’s hand would make it better or worse, so his hand remained at his side. Theo and Roz arrived shortly after with Ambrose in tow, having pulled up at the same time. He sensed the awkwardness and noticed someone would have to push to get us all going. 

“Alright.” Ambrose said, clapping his hands together to break the tension. “Let’s get you packed up, moved out and into Roz’s shall we?”  
“Roz’s?” Harvey spoke for the first time as he set down his game controller. “You’re moving in with Roz?”

“Mmhmm.” Sabrina answered with a nod. Harvey’s face twisted in confusion as he looked from her to Nick, who had shown up together. 

“Really?” He was still confused. “I figured you’d live with...you know.” He couldn’t say the words. He felt too uncomfortable, still too hurt to even say he _thought_ Sabrina would be living with Nick.

“Nope.” Sabrina said, emphasizing the ‘p’. “I’m living with Roz.” Harvey snorted in response.

“Broke up already, huh?” He said under his breath but it was so silent they all heard him. “No surprise there.” 

“Harvey.” Sabrina said a little firmer. “Let’s not do this now. Let me just get my things and go.” She raised her eyebrows at him. “Please?”

“Fine.” Harvey said sitting down and picking up the controller. No one spoke for a moment, but Nick broke the silence and finally grabbed Sabrina’s hand, sensing she needed it and caring more about her than Harvey Kinkle’s reaction. 

“Roz can you and the guys work on packing up what’s Sabrina’s out here and in the kitchen?” He turned to her then. “How about I go grab boxes from the truck and we can pack up your clothes.”

For some reason Nick speaking set Harvey off again, the sound of his voice pissing him off. He shot up from the couch and spun to where Nick was standing. 

“Stay the fuck out of our room, Scratch.” He sneered. Nick nodded once, screaming internally, but understanding the guy’s hatred for him. The fact that he called it _our_ room was telling enough. He didn’t want Nick in the intimate space he’d once shared with Sabrina. 

“Harvey-” Sabrina started but Nick cut her off with a hand on her arm still looking at Harvey with a calm expression.

“It’s okay, Spellman.” He turned to Ambrose. “Will you help Sabrina with her clothes?”

“Yup.” Ambrose responded, not wanting to say anything else to make the situation weirder. 

“I’ll do the spare room, hall closet, the bathroom.” Sabrina turned to him while everyone got to work. Harvey swallowed hard and sat on the couch again, looking down. She touched her chest once and poked Nick’s before heading to her former bedroom. She’d need a lot of strength to pack it up. 

About 30 minutes into the packing Sabrina heard the door slam shut and the notable sound of a truck drive away. She poked her head out slightly worried that Nick had gone after a fight with Harvey or something, but he was still there folding her floral hand towels that Hilda had sent her to college with. 

“Kinkle left.” Nick explained swallowing hard. He looked at her with an apologetic expression and she joined him in the hallway for a moment, sitting on the ground where he was kneeling. 

“That’s probably for the best.” Sabrina said. “It couldn’t have been easy for him.” 

“I shouldn’t have come.” Nick said while running a hand through his hair and turning to look at her again. “I’m sorry.”

“I wanted you here, Nick. Needed you here.” She pressed her lips together before continuing and running a hand through her own hair. “Today was harder than expected. I lived here for a while and though it’s never really been my style, it was my home for a few years. I was supposed to come home here after the wedding. Raise babies here.” She quickly widened her eyes when she realized what she was saying. She expected Nick to be cringing but instead he was listening intently. Her face fell into her hands. “I’m sorry, Nick, I shouldn’t be talking to you about this.”

“Yes you should.” He grabbed her wrist to pull her face to look at him. “If you want to talk to me about this, then you should definitely be talking to me about this. You need to process, Sabrina, and I’m happy to listen.” 

“It’s not gonna scare you off if I cry about a wedding I walked out on?” 

“No.” He shook his head with a smile. “I’m not going anywhere. Besides if I didn’t get scared during your fanny-pack phase then I think we’re good.” Sabrina couldn’t help but laugh. He was always doing that, making her smile since she was 5 years old.

“Hey those are fashionable and practical.” She held her finger out at him. “And they’re making a comeback.” 

“They didn’t work when you were 8 and they’re not gonna work now.” 

“But you still love me?” She asked him innocently. Somewhere along the line she had scooted to his side of the wall and was leaning against it next to him. He gave her her favorite lopsided smile, grateful she could ask that question and have it mean something more than it did in the past. 

“Throw away that sparkly fanny pack I know you have somewhere here and we’ll talk.” He quipped and she snorted in laughter before lifting her head to kiss his cheek. 

Somewhere in the kitchen, Roz was wrapping up Sabrina’s favorite wine glasses while Theo packed up her old CD’s. They shared a soft and knowing smile, coming to another silent agreement that everything _was_ going to be okay. Sabrina was happier than she’d ever been, and someday Harvey Kinkle would find that too. 

-

Once she had all of her things moved out of her old house, she had quickly settled into the second bedroom at Roz’s. It was exciting for her in a way, having her own room to decorate. She had only lived at the mortuary, a college apartment and the house with Harvey. And Harvey wasn’t exactly a design-guy so the vibe of their house was simple and plain. She hadn’t been mad about it but, she didn’t realize how giddy it made her to be able to put up something as simple as a tapestry until Nick was tacking it to the wall. She got to choose what pictures were put up and made sure the picture of her and Nick from their graduations had a prominent place. 

But when the weekend was over and Summer was too, real life really kicked into gear. Sabrina’s first week of school was stressful. After spending so many months planning a wedding she hadn’t spent as much time ironing out her lessons, so her syllabi didn’t look how she wanted them and she worried she was horribly unorganized. Her AP Class was a dream, many of the students more excited for the horror unit than she’d expected. But Sabrina had also gotten stuck with a group of particularly rambunctious freshmen, who didn’t know the difference between J.R.R. Tolkien and John Green. She wouldn’t fault them for having little to no literary knowledge but it was the fact that they didn’t seem to care about any of the books they were reading that really aggravated the petite blonde. She caught one student doodling in their copy of _A_ _Tale of Two Cities_ while another one complained and asked if they could just watch Pride and Prejudice and Zombies instead of reading the Jane Austen classic. She was trying her best to get the freshmen interested in _something_ but it was no use. Many of them had hardly read a real book in years, having grown used to reading from a screen on their tablet or kindle. 

Nick didn’t get to see Sabrina much on that Monday or Tuesday. He brought her and Roz coffee and donuts Monday morning, but other than a few texts and a phone call before bed on Tuesday he hadn’t communicated much with her. They had seen each other on Wednesday and ordered in Chinese and sat on the couch. She went on and on about her classes while he rubbed her shoulders, and they ended the night by his fireplace re-reading _It._

Things weren’t exactly bad between the two of them by any means. But once after another week or so Sabrina’s school work picked up even more and Nick got busier with his own job. The time they spent together was tainted with an air of slight tension and awkwardness. Sabrina would come over even when she was tired and Nick would bite his tongue when she said something he disagreed with. He didn’t want to anger her, but his attempts to not rock the boat seemed to be making it worse. She was a little snippy and she felt he was holding back, and for the first time in the very long time they knew each other, they felt like they were walking on eggshells. It made them both angry that they felt that way, but neither really knew how to fix it.

When Sabrina was at Nick’s one Friday, they had their first major argument. Sabrina was already annoyed because Nick had forgotten to get her favorite tea at the grocery store. 

“I even wrote it down for you, Nick.” Sabrina said as she glared at him.

“I’m sorry, Sabrina.” He said, hiding the annoyance he felt. “I’ll pick some up tomorrow.” 

“No it’s fine.” She said with a bite to her voice. “I’ll just bring some over next time.” 

“I think I have some black tea, if you want that.” 

“I don’t want any, anymore.” She challenged him, daring him to yell back. But he didn’t, and she huffed in annoyance. 

The real reason she was on edge was she had just received a package in the mail that contained a wayward wedding gift. It had brought up a lot of emotion in her, another reminder that she was supposed to be married right now. She could talk to Roz about it, but her friend was dividing her time between her and Harvey enough. And she felt Nick had been distant lately, not completely letting her in, and acting more passive than she’d ever known him to be.

A simple question pushed her over the edge. 

In retrospect, it wasn’t that simple of a question. And had he known that she was upset over a wedding package he wouldn’t have even brought it up. But he felt he needed to address her crumpled up wedding dress that still sat in a pile in the corner of his room that she’d taken off a few weeks prior. It’s not like it bothered him all that much, but he could imagine it couldn’t be easy for her to see every time she was there. And he was certain it wasn’t his place to move it. 

“What are we gonna do with the dress, Spellman?” He asked her when they settled on the couch. He’d hoped her annoyance with him for the tea debacle was settled, but she was clearly still upset. He had never seen her pull away from him so quickly, as if touching him made her uncomfortable.

“What do you mean?” She asked him with narrowed eyes.

“I mean, don’t you think it’s time to do something with it? Store it somewhere?” 

“I didn’t realize it was such a burden to you. In the corner of your large bedroom.” 

“Sabrina, it’s not a burden.” He spoke calmly, trying to diffuse the now runaway situation. “I just feel-”

“You just feel?” She scoffed as she interrupted him. “I didn’t realize it was your wedding I ran out on.” She stood from the couch and crossed her arms, her body language indicating she was completely closed off to him. “Why can’t you be on my side, Nick.”

“Hey, I have _always_ been on your side.” Nick stood too, growing angry and insulted by what she was insinuating. 

“Yeah?” She mocked him. “Were you on my side when you were gonna let me marry Harvey? Or when you forgot my favorite tea.” 

He was getting really annoyed now, she was being ridiculous. 

“Drop it about the tea, Sabrina. It’s just fucking tea. I told you I’d get more tomorrow.” She shut up for a moment. “And about you marrying Harvey? It wasn't my place to _let_ you marry anyone. I just wanted you to be happy.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She demanded as tears poked through her eyes. “If you knew me as well as you claim to, love me as you claim to, you would have said something.” 

His jaw tightened as she squared her shoulders, a definite sign that neither was going to back down. 

“Sabrina, I didn’t want to derail your life by telling you something you didn’t want to hear. How the hell was I supposed to know you felt the same? You didn’t even know you felt the same until three weeks ago.”

“Well you did derail my life didn’t you.” She said coldly. It made his heart stop to think that he could be ruining her life. That was the absolute last thing he wanted. He sputtered silently as he couldn’t find the words to respond. He crossed his own arms and looked down, essentially shutting down. He didn’t want to have this conversation anymore. “Why do I even bother?” He heard Sabrina say in a hoarse whisper. Then she grabbed her purse and jacket and was gone. Without another word. Without a goodbye. 

-

A whole day. It was a whole day they didn’t speak. Nick spent the entirety of Saturday trying to distract himself in his home office focusing on the case that was taking up most of his time. But nothing had ever been able to distract himself from Sabrina Spellman. The murder he was working on was a cakewalk compared to whatever had transpired between him and her. He couldn’t figure it out, what exactly happened. 

Sabrina went home Friday night and locked herself in her room. Roz had knocked but when she heard her friend crying and realized the door was locked, she left her alone. Torn because she sensed Sabrina wanted to be alone and knowing the one person who could make her feel better was likely the part of the reason she was so upset. It was Saturday morning when Sabrina realized, after a night of crying and shitty sleep, that she was still in Nick’s shirt. A wave of nausea washed over her as she remembered their fight from the day before. She had said some pretty awful things, but Nick was so closed off to her. Part of her had been trying to get a rise out of him, another part genuinely upset he hadn’t been himself lately. The unexpected package had thrown her for a loop and that, mixed with Nick questioning the dress made her crazy. Also the fact that Nick had used to be her springboard in conversations, never hesitating to give his opinion. But lately he had turned into a sponge, only listening and agreeing. It was annoying.

If the two had been paying more attention or had been trying less hard to be perfect, they may have noticed that this argument was bound to happen. They weren’t being themselves. Sabrina was hiding things from him because she felt he wouldn’t be honest about what he thought, or she was worried he’d get upset if she talked about the wedding. And Nick wasn’t being completely honest about what his opinions were because he didn’t want to upset her. He wanted to be supportive, but in trying so hard they had lost who _they_ were. 

It wasn’t even twenty-four hours later on Saturday evening when he just couldn’t take it anymore. He physically ached for her, and the deep longing he felt for her was one he had never experienced. He tried her house first, assuming that’s where she was. When Roz said she wasn’t home, a flash of fear rushed through him. Sensing where his mind was going, Roz placed her hand on his forearm and interrupted the train before it crashed.

“She’s at the mortuary.” Nick sighed heavily in relief. 

She hadn’t gone back to Harvey’s. 

He made his way over there, thankful that no one questioned him as he entered. Hilda gave him a supportive smile as she pointed to the stairs, indicating Sabrina was in her old room. A strong wave of memories washed over him as he remembered the last time he made this trek the day of her wedding. She had been so happy to see them then, and he hoped and prayed her face would wear a similar look. 

“Sabrina.” Nick said as he stood in the doorway of her bedroom. All throughout their lives, he had always been welcome here and had never had to ask to come in. He had always barged his way through the door carrying books and gushers and milkshakes from Cee’s. She’d be smiling as she lifted her head from where she lay on her stomach on the bed, making some smart-ass comment to him about all the dark clothing he wears no matter the season. He remembered how she ran to him when his own thick college envelope came, giggling and possibly even more excited than he was. She’d helped him open it as he had her and they spun and danced around the room when they realized they’d both be heading off to sunny California. He couldn’t kiss her then but he almost wished for those carefree times when he could run in and lift her off her feet without second guessing. 

He wasn’t so sure about that now. 

His quiet voice broke her attention from the book she was reading. Her face, previously furrowed in concentration, softened at his presence. He thought maybe, maybe she was happy to see him. His heartbeat slowed down a bit too, and he was just a little bit less nervous.

“Nick.” She said and smiled at him slightly. It didn’t reach her ears, but it was there, a sliver of hope he’d grasp on to for dear life. After realizing he needed an invitation and saying the following words to him for the very first time, she spoke. “Come in.” 

It felt foreign on her lips to give him permission to enter her bedroom. He’d always just walked in. He sat next to her tentatively on the bed and took a risk by grabbing her hand. His nerves calmed even more when she tightened the grip and laced their fingers together. Her hand was warm and he missed the dainty feel of them. 

“I’m sorry.” They said at the same time. He sighed with a smile as she giggled. It felt good to just take a breath, allow some of the awkwardness to fade away. 

“I think we need to talk.” Nick chanced. “Not just yell at each other.”

“Yeah.” She answered him and rubbed her thumb in circles over the palm of his hand. “I think we should. You can go first.” Nick was a little bit shocked. The blonde in front of him rarely let anyone else speak first when she had something important to say too. She was giving him a chance and he took it. 

“Sabrina, I need to know.” Nick turned to her and put his heart on the line, blurting the words before he could chicken out. “Do you regret it? Running out on your wedding?”

“Of course not!” Sabrina answered with shock evident in her voice. She had no idea where this was coming from, how he could think this. “Nick, there isn’t a single part of me that regrets it. Why would you think that?” 

She ran through recent memories in her brain, what they said in their fight, searching for something that would explain his insecurities. She settled on it and realization flooded her face as Nick swallowed heavy and opened his mouth again.

“Yesterday you said I derailed your life... _”_

“Nick.” Sabrina tried to jump in. But he wanted to make his point.

“And then you walked out and I know we were arguing but even when we were friends you never walked out.”

“I didn’t walk out on you, Nick.” She breathed. “I just needed a minute. I didn’t want to make it worse.”

“I get that but you didn’t say anything after ‘why do I even bother?’ you just left. It made me feel like you didn’t really want to try, and that you might stop _bothering_ at any point and just go back to Harvey.”

“I love _you,_ Nick. I left him for you.”

He would never get tired of hearing those three words, but he was still frustrated. Sometimes he felt he was so tightly wound from being who he wanted to be for her that he cracked, and she didn’t like the fallout. 

“Don’t you see that’s a lot of pressure? Sabrina, I’ve never really been a boyfriend before. I want to be that for you, but I’m learning as I’m going. You leaving him for me can’t be the only reason. You have to have left him for you too.” He took another breath. “I don’t want to derail your life.” 

Sabrina was wondering where all this relationship maturity was coming from. He was right, and she had never thought of it that way.

“I did leave him for me, Nick.” She took a deep, centering breath. “I left him knowing that it didn’t matter how you felt or if we ended up together. _I_ couldn’t marry _him._ I wouldn’t have been happy. And I shouldn’t have said you derailed my life. I didn’t mean that, really I didn’t.” She grabbed his other hand. 

“What’s happening to us?” Nick asked softly.

“I think I’m just trying to make this work and doing my best to be the perfect girlfriend and I think I forget that it’s _you._ And I should just be me.”

“That’s all I want.” He brushed his fingers over her cheeks. “For it to be just you and me. Everything’s always been easy for us. We just need to stop trying so damn hard, we’re getting in our own way.” 

Sabrina nodded and leaned into his touch. 

“Another gift came yesterday and it threw me off. And then you asked about the dress…” She bit her lip and he sighed and nodded in understanding. “I don’t want to be married to Harvey, but I guess it’s hard for me to accept that I’m not married now. I really wanted to be married.” 

“I want to marry you, Spellman.” It was his boldest claim yet. “I plan to someday. Please know that.”

She caressed his face now and smiled. 

“I want to marry you too.” She took a breath. “But Nick, you can't give up either. Yesterday I felt like everything was slipping away and you just shut down. I know I need to be honest about how I feel, but I felt like I couldn’t. You’re usually a wide open door for me, but it felt like it was closed and locked tight. Lately, you just accept what I say and don’t challenge me. I like it when we have discussions and you tell me what you think. Being a supportive boyfriend means that you call me on my shit.”

“Okay.” Nick said with a smile. “I’ll tell you when you’re being dumb.” She giggled a little bit and he felt that the conversation was turning the corner in the right direction. 

“This,” she gestured to the two of them, “is important to me. It isn’t some science experiment where two friends try out a relationship. We have to give it our all.” 

“I will.” He said firmly.

“We will.” She corrected him. He took the moment of pause to lean in and finally kiss her. It had only been a day but his lips missed hers and it was painfully obvious they needed to be reunited. When they separated he spoke again. 

“I just think for the sake of me and you we need to keep taking it slow. You went from marrying Kinkle and having me as your best friend to leaving Kinkle at the altar and kissing me in the span of hours. If we move too fast we might screw it up.”

“You’ve always been more than my best friend.” She pointed out and smirked before kissing him. He rolled his eyes but leaned into the kiss. “But I’m good with slow.” She kissed him again. “I love slow.” 

She pulled him down on top of her to show him just how amazing slow could be. They kissed for a long time before Nick stopped it from going too far. 

“Spellman.” He warned in a groan as she settled him deeper between her legs and they could both feel him getting excited. “I better go.”

He lifted off her and she sat up with a huff.

“Seriously?” She crossed her arms in her adorable way. With her hair messy and her face flush and he almost reconsidered. 

“Sabrina, I love you. But we’re not doing this for the first time here.” 

“Wouldn’t it be so poetic though?” She crawled on her hands and knees towards him and eyes him mischievously. “You and me having sex in my teenage bed in my teenage bedroom? I could even put on that shirt with your name on it.” She kissed him quickly and her eyes grew even darker. Her face was an inch from his as she spoke. “Or your football jersey I have buried in my trunk somewhere.” She leaned in for another kiss but he pulled away when he realized what she had said. His eyes were wide.

“ _You_ have the Jersey?” She started to laugh in a belly-hurting kind of way. “Coach was so pissed at me when he thought I lost it and I literally had no explanation for him. I had to pay for a new one. You owe me sixty bucks, Spellman.”

“Or I could just give you the jersey back.” She teases.

“What use do I have for it now?” He crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow. If she didn’t know him as well as she did she may even think he was genuinely angry. But she saw the tiniest hint of a smirk on his lips, one only she could recognize.

“I have a few ideas.” She looked at him smugly and winked. He let out a breath and shook his head. She was kneeling on her bed and he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist as hers went to his neck.

“Can’t wait to hear ‘em.” He kissed her long and slow. Slow being his new favorite word. “Are you staying here tonight or going back to yours?”

“I think I’ll stay here, I miss Hilda’s cooking.” 

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“You could stay for dinner.” She suggested, batting her brown eyes at him.

“You sure?” He wanted to make sure.

“Yes.” She nods but kisses him again, using the bounciness of the bed to fling herself to him and wrap her legs around his waist. He led her to her desk and sat her there, him between her legs for a few more minutes kissing her lips and neck. “Damn, If that’s a makeup make out? I can’t wait for makeup sex.” She stated and he laughed as he let her down.

“I’m sorry. Are you seriously planning on fighting with me? Because that wasn’t fun.”

“Less of a plan and more of an inevitability. We’re both stubborn and know each other too well to let the other go quietly into the night of a bad decision. We’re fire on fire, but I like a little burn.” 

“That was cheesy as hell, Spellman.” Nick teased her as he took in the sight of a disheveled Sabrina staring up at him. She smacked his arm for teasing her but her smile didn’t waver.

His smile matched hers and he kissed her one more time before begrudgingly heading downstairs with her, wondering if he made the right choice in stopping their tryst from earlier. Deep down he knew he did. His teenage fantasy may have been slipping in between the sheets with Sabrina Spellman next to her yearbooks and school medals. But he was certain the reality would be much better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woof that fight was hard to write. I love angst though and I felt like they needed to have a fight. Nick and Sabrina in any universe are NOT perfect and are passionate so everything could not just be sunshine and rainbows. I also wanted to portray them both trying really hard (too hard) and basically just throwing up their hands and being like "screw it" let's not be perfect let's just be us.
> 
> Also I know the fic is no longer listed as a WIP but I did that because I'm not sure how many updates this fic will have or how often they'll be posted. And each little chapter kind of ties itself together so in my mind it is a completed work that just gets more completed? If that makes sense? I don't know. 
> 
> Anyways let me know what you think!


	4. Give Into Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the song Give Into Me from the movie Country Strong. It's a fave of mine and the song is so good. Nick and Sabrina attend a homecoming or two and get further down the road of being in a relationship. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another little snapshot into our favorite gusher loving cuties!! In this story Nick and Sabrina get closer...if you don't like intimate scenes you may want to stop reading shortly after Sabrina jumps into his arms. Nothing super explicit but just a warning... ;)

Born to Love You

* * *

**_Give Into Me_ **

You're gonna take my hand

Whisper the sweetest words

And if you're ever sad

I'll make you laugh

I'll chase the hurt

After their fight and subsequent makeup, Sabrina and Nick fell into a more normal routine. They had more serious and grown up conversations about their relationship and made a conscious effort to take it seriously. To them, this wasn’t a _thing_ they were trying out, it was forever and they needed to start acting like it. Relationships were hard, Nick was learning as he had never been in one, but it was totally worth it. And Sabrina was learning what it was like to be with the person she was always meant to. Simply put, they were both happy.

A week after Sabrina stormed to the mortuary and Nick followed her, she made a decision about the dress. Nick had been right, it did hurt her to see it, and she wanted to finally put all of that behind her and move forward. She had sent back the last of the gifts and had given, and received, a tentative wave and smile to Harvey when they crossed paths in the grocery store. It finally seemed like the time had come to deal with the crumpled dress in the corner. 

“I think I’m going to donate it.” Sabrina said while standing above it. Looking down at the silky, white mountain of a reminder of her disastrous wedding, she found that she didn’t want to destroy it, even though she knew she’d never wear it again. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to keep it? We can store it somewhere.” Nick asked her while leaning against his dresser. His hands were in his pockets to appear casual and at ease. This time around he actually might be, and his calm demeanor was making her feel still as well. The fact he said “we” helped too, further solidifying that he was on her side, despite what she accused him of in their fight a week prior. “You love that dress, and you look stunning in it.” He smiled softly to himself remembering how she looked when he barged into her room intent on stopping the wedding. He had been taken aback by her beauty, as he always did, but something about her in a wedding dress made her that much more beautiful. She was even more so when the train and veil were blowing in the wind as she took her determined steps towards him in his front lawn. He felt he loved the dress even more when he got to unzip it, and she stepped into _his_ clothes.

“I do love it. And it is stunning.” She paused and reached to finger some of the fabric delicately. “But it was the right dress for the wrong guy. I’ll find a dress I love even more that’s even more stunning when I marry the one I love more than anything. It’ll be the best dress for the best guy.” She paused and smiled at him, he smiled back catching her drift. The next time he saw her in a wedding dress, he wouldn’t have to stop himself from asking her to run away with him. She’d be walking towards him down the aisle. For them this was an irrefutable fact, like how the sun rises each morning and how Hilda’s coffee was always better than the sludge Zelda brewed. 

“Can’t wait.” Nick added slyly as his smile transformed into a smirk. They stared one another down, daring each other to move as the air grew thicker. Heat was bubbling to the surface and both of them could feel it in every part of their body, from their toes to their soul. It had been happening for the last week since Sabrina suggested they have sex in her teenage bed and he turned her down. There were notes of sexual tension everywhere, and thoughts of finally experiencing Nicholas Scratch plagued Sabrina every time she tried to sleep and always in moments like this. Nick would be lying to himself if he didn’t think about what noises he could pull out of her on a daily basis. What were they waiting for really?

Sabrina bit her lip and looked away because she just couldn’t take it anymore and Nick cleared his throat. The heat started to dissolve, but they both felt embers on their skin, aching to be turned back into flames. 

“So donation?” Nick spoke first, ending the moment completely and standing up straight and walking over to her, intent on helping her fold up the dress.

“Yes.” Sabrina said with finality and nodded her head. “It deserves to be worn, and there’s a boutique over in Riverdale that accepts donated dresses for people who can’t afford new ones. It’s where I took the ones I wore to dances in high school.” Nick raised his eyebrows at that, certain when they’d packed her up he’d seen a tiny red number in her closet he remembered her wearing at homecoming. As if reading her mind, she kept explaining. “I’ve donated most but I kept one. The-”

“Red dress. From sophomore homecoming.” He finished for her. Her eyebrows raised now and her cheeks blushed slightly, touched he remembered. “I recognized it immediately when we were packing you up. Another great dress, Spellman.”

“It was a great night.” She smirked at him and it was his turn to blush. She thought back to a million years ago when he took her to homecoming, as Harvey hadn’t grown the balls to ask her. He ended up confess his feelings a few weeks later. But that night, _that_ homecoming, she spent with Nick. 

-

_Back Then_

_“I don’t know what you think is gonna happen.” Sabrina explained to Ambrose as she slipped in her second pearl earring. They were her mother’s and had only worn them on special occasions. He had been teasing her relentlessly since she spilled she was going to homecoming with Nick. Sabrina deeply regretted sharing that they had almost kissed a few weeks ago after one of his games, and Ambrose hadn’t let it go. She had been trying to move on, and her cousin’s constant teasing made that difficult. Besides, Sabrina was feeling new things for Harvey._

_She really thought Harvey would ask her, but he hadn’t gathered up the nerve, so Nick asked her to go. The previous year she had gone with her friends and Nick had tried his damnedest to get the Academy to allow him to bring an outsider to homecoming, but Blackwood didn’t budge. This year he would make it up to her._

_“What do you think I think is gonna happen?” Ambrose asked as he waved his eyebrows in the air suggestively. He was perched on her desk haphazardly and Sabrina could easily throw something at him to knock him off his high horse. She settled for just rolling her eyes._

_“You’re confusing.”_

_“You’re avoiding.” Ambrose pushed further. “You and Nick are going to homecoming together.”_

_“And?” Sabrina crossed her arms as she raised her eyebrows at her cousin, refusing to give in to whatever he was insinuating._

_“Do you not see what I see?”_

_Sabrina pursed her lips together. She didn’t know what she saw. She knew Nick was her best friend. Her favorite person. She knew that she’d seen Nick’s incredibly kissable lips and the way it had felt to have them hover just above hers. But he hadn’t closed the distance and they’d moved on, her seemingly with Harvey._

_“I see that Nick and I are friends and that’s it.” Sabrina paused and crossed her arms, trying to look confident in her statement. “And that’s how it's gonna stay no matter what your dirty little mind thinks is gonna happen tonight or any other night.”_

_“If you say so.” He looks at her as if it's the last thing he believes._

_“I know so.” Sabrina lifted her chin into the air as she heard the door swing open and close._

_“Spellman!” Nick’s voice ran through the mortuary. “You ready or what?”_

_“I’ll be right down!” She yelled out the door and then turned back to her cousin. “See? Does that sound like how someone would greet their date if they were more than friends?”_

_“It sounds like how Nicholas has greeted you every day for the last ten years.” Ambrose paused and then smirked. “And your face blushed just as it always does." Sabrina smacked her cousin beside his head, not caring that he nearly lost his balance. He chuckled and gave his cousin a once over. “All I'm saying, is you don’t wear that kind of red dress to a dance with a friend.”_

_“I thought Harvey was going to ask me.” Sabrina stated as an excuse or a reason. She really wasn’t sure which._

_“All the same, you look fantastic and Nick is going to love it.”_

_Sabrina rolled her eyes and fully pushed her cousin off the dresser before heading down the stairs. Nick was in the foyer talking to the Aunts when she descended. But his attention was instantly stolen by his best friend walking down the stairs in the smallest, reddest dress he had ever seen her wear. It reminded him of that cheesy 90s movie she made him watch one time, She’s All That. The girl in it had waltzed down the stairs in cheesy Hollywood slo-mo wearing a beautiful red dress and the guy’s mouth dropped the ground. Sabrina’s dress was more beautiful, her even more stunning than a made over Lanie Boggs, and while Nick was shocked by it like Freddie Prince Jr.’s character, it wasn’t because he wasn’t expecting it. Sabrina was always beautiful, he’d seen that the day they met. There just wasn’t a day she didn’t take his breath away._

_“Spellman.” He held up an A-okay sign with his hands, trying to pick his own jaw up from the floor before he was caught. “You are beautiful.”_

_“You don’t look half bad yourself, Scratch.” She said with a smirk on her red lips as she took him in. He looked better than good in his black ensemble and bowtie, ever the overachiever. It was slightly off-kilter and she didn’t hesitate to right it. Despite his dressed up appearance, he still smelled like leather and pine. He took notice right away that she smelled like vanilla and sugar, and he loved it. It reminded him of Christmas. They both felt the pull to draw even closer to each other as she placed his boutonniere and he slipped her corsage on her wrist, white roses, that matched perfectly. Hilda and Zelda insisted on taking pictures of them and Hilda scoffed in annoyance when Sabrina insisted they take one with her on his back, a favorite pose of theirs that would eventually become a tradition._

_When it was time to walk out the door to Nick’s car he offered her his arm, she rolled her eyes and smacked him; and grabbed him by the waist to pull him close. He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kissing her hair out of instinct, though she didn’t mind. He wouldn’t be Nick if he didn’t use physical touch to show her what she meant to him. She was his favorite person too._

_Nick played her favorite music in the car and had two milkshakes in the front cupholders and a bag of fries and a cheeseburger on the floor. He figured she hadn’t eaten, too preoccupied with getting ready, and he had been right. She ate all of it, careful not to mess up her perfect lipstick._

_“Nick.” Sabrina said as Nick turned off his Jeep in the school parking lot. The car was quiet, the humming stopped, and the only thing they could hear was her voice. “Thanks for taking me tonight.”_

_“Spellman.” Nick answered her with her favorite goofy, lopsided smile. She swore he only used it on her and no one else. “Really I should be thanking you. I get to spend Homecoming with my beautiful best friend.” Sabrina smiled at him and he started to smirk. “And with you, this night will be slightly better than awful.”_

_Sabrina laughed outright and smacked him lightly. When her giggles settled she leaned over and kissed him once on the cheek, and then wiped the red mark her lipstick left behind._

_“Let’s go.” She said to him._

_“Let’s go.” He echoed her with a wink and practically ran so he could open her door. This time when he offered her his arm she took it and he held her close, memorizing the way she fit there and planning to replay this night over again in his head for the rest of his life. At this point he believed it to be inevitable, that he’d lose her to Harvey. But tonight_ he _was her date. And she was on_ his _arm. It would be enough._

_It would never be enough._

-

Now

It took some time to pick out the perfect dress to chaperone the homecoming dance. She struggled to make a decision, wanting to be modest but not wanting to look like an elderly librarian either. What wasn’t a difficult decision was asking Nick to be her date and co-chaperone for the evening. They had been doing really well the last month or so and he had been elated when she suggested he attend with her. She had expected him to make some joke or complain about having to step foot in Baxter High again. But he didn’t. It was the easiest yes he’d ever given. 

She nearly wore the dress from her sophomore year, knowing how much Nick loved it, but it didn’t quite fit like it used to. It was a tad too short for a teacher chaperone and her chest had grown significantly since she was sixteen. Easily said it was not appropriate, though she was certain Nick would love it even more now. 

The thought of him seeing her in it made her feel warm as a blush tinted her cheeks. She shoved the tiny red dress back into her closet for another time and pulled out a different one. This one was red too, but had a higher neckline, went to just below her knees, and had thicker straps-instead of the basically non-existent ones on her old dress. 

It was still beautiful, the red material a stark contrast to her skin and hair, but it was more akin to what a teacher should wear.

She’s just touching up her lipstick, red of course, when she hears a knock at the door. Roz was downstairs to open it and as Sabrina packed up her clutch she heard Roz and Nick chatting. The two of them had always gotten along and it brought a small smile to her lips as soft laughter rang down the hall. She didn’t know what they were talking about, but it sounded pleasant and civil. And for that Sabrina was grateful. Roz hadn’t given her a hard time once for following her heart, she didn’t know if she’d be able to take it if Roz had. 

Sabrina’s heels clicked down the hall to announce her arrival and the sound of it and the sight of her made him stop mid-sentence in his conversation with Roz. 

He was looking at her as if he were witnessing the entirety of the universe being created, her at the center of it. Her hair was shining but his smile was shining brighter as he took her in, always in awe at her beauty. And in awe that _he_ was the one that she loved.

“Spellman.” Nick sputtered and shook his head. Sabrina bit her bottom lip while trying to hold back a laugh at his speechlessness. He sighed once and shook his head again, smiling as wide as can be. “You’re gorgeous. Damn.” 

He couldn’t take it anymore and closed the distance between them and grabbed her face, placing a firm kiss on her red lips. She yelped in surprise, not seeing that coming, but still kissed him back just enough to not mess up her lipstick. She pulled away with a shudder and was grateful that Nick turned his attention to Roz for a moment so Sabrina could collect herself. 

“Sorry, Roz.” He told her sheepishly while she just smiled and rolled her eyes. 

“Down, boy.” Sabrina said tapping his chest once realizing Nick’s hands were still all over her. “We gotta go or we’re gonna be late.” 

“You guys look great!” Roz told them with a cheery smile before turning to Sabrina. “See you tomorrow, Brina?” 

Nick raised an eyebrow at that as Sabrina blushed a color red deeper than her dress. She mumbled something incoherently before grabbing Nick’s hand and pulling him out the door, a fresh smirk on his face. 

He picked up on it too, what Roz was insinuating. By the blush on Sabrina’s face she had too. And if Nick were being really honest, he wanted to see how far down that blush went. 

-

“I cannot believe I am here.” Nick said. He was taking a look around the gaudy Baxter High Gym, filled to the brim with paper mache trees, paper animals, and annoying teenagers. “I told myself a long time ago I’d never come back.” 

“I thought you liked Baxter High.” Sabrina crossed her arms and gave him a sidelong glance as they made their way through the gym in search of Mrs. Preston, Math teacher and head chaperone. “At least more than the Academy.”

“Way more than the Academy.” Nick’s eyes went wide at the thought. He didn’t have many good memories of his time with Blackwood at his pompous school. “But nobody likes high school, Spellman.”

“I did.” Sabrina shrugged. “And you seemed to enjoy it, Mr. Popular. I’m pretty sure I recall you being on homecoming court more than once _and_ you were Prom King.” 

“Yeah with my sister.” Nick chuckled as he remembered being crowned at prom with Prudence and then refusing to do the dance in front of everyone. Well she refused, he thought it was fucking hilarious. “Besides, the only thing I liked about high school was you.”

Sabrina whipped her head to look at him expecting to see a sly smile or narrowed eyes. But instead the smile was full and his look genuine. 

“Nick…” Sabrina started.

“You’re pretty much the highlight of my life, Sabrina Spellman. You have to know that by now.” 

“Know that I’m totally making out with you in my mind right now.” She told him with a smirk and he chuckled at the effect he had on her, while trying to pull it together himself. 

“Later.” He joked. “That’s what the dance floor is for.” 

“Nicholas Scratch, we will not be making out on this dance floor.” She lifted her chin in the air as they spotted Mrs. Preston. “I work here.”

“We’ll see.” He added with a wink and she rolled her eye at him, but only to hide the fire that was building in her stomach. 

They met with Mrs. Preston, who took her job as lead chaperone way too seriously, and received their assignments of rotating between the snack table and photo booth. The old math teacher made it clear that they were to guard the punch bowl with their lives and make sure that no one was, in her words, doing it on the dance floor. She narrowed her eyes at Nick slightly and seemed to scoff at Sabrina’s choice in co-chaperone. Nick had caused quite a lot of trouble when he went to Baxter High, especially at dances. And Mrs. Preston was never able to catch him as he always got himself out of it. That mixed with his knack for knowledge and near perfect grades in her Calculus class earned him a spot near the bottom of her favorite students list.

“Damn she’s still the old crone she was when we went here.” Nick commented quiet enough for only her to hear.

“Shhh, Nick!” Sabrina said as they moved to stand behind the snack table. “Don’t make me regret bringing you.”

Though Nick was hardly wrong. Sabrina had gotten along with most of the teaching staff when she started at Baxter High, most of which taught her. But Mrs. Preston was very slow to warm up, and even now she suspected she wasn’t well liked by the woman. That likely had more to do with Sabrina’s desire to topple the patriarchy and rebel, Mrs. Preston being a staunch traditionalist, and less about her bringing Nick.

“What theme is this anyways?” Nick asked her, taking another look around the gym.

“Jungle Fever? Forest Dreams? I don’t know, something like that.” Sabrina answered and Nick hung his head back in laughter. She had to smile because she too thought it was lame. “I know, I know. It’s not the best choice. But I missed the planning meeting.” 

“And what would your idea have been?” Nick cocked his head to the side as he looked at her, putting a finger on his chin. “Haunted House?”  
Sabrina narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed again at her lack of verbal response, knowing he was right. He went to pull something out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her. It was a pack of gushers and her slightly annoyed face turned into one of appreciation. She opened her packet and was delighted to see that they were all grape flavored. She looked up at him in confusion and he shrugged his shoulders.

“I’d always wondered if you could special order gushers in one flavor.” He popped on in his mouth and smiled lopsidedly. “Apparently you can.”

“You ordered these for me?” Sabrina looked at the pack in her hand and then back up at him in amazement. She cradled the pack of gushers like it was something precious. He smirked at her and winked. 

“They’re my favorite too, remember? This way you can’t steal all mine.” 

Sabrina stole something anyways. A quick kiss on his lips, not caring that Mrs. Preston saw and probably judged her. Nick may claim he got them so he could eat grape gushers too. But she knew the truth as if he had spoken it himself. He ordered them for her because they were her favorite still 20 years later. He had done it because he loved her. 

-

A little later on Nick made a joke about spiking the punch, earning him another smack from Sabrina. He had reminded her that he had done it effortlessly in high school and if he recalled correctly, she enjoyed it that sophomore year homecoming. She knew he was joking, he would never jeopardize her job or the safety of a bunch of kids by willingly giving them alcohol. Plus he was a forensic investigator, and had pieced back together one too many car accidents that involved drinking to do anything like that. 

Still ruffling Sabrina Spellman’s feathers was one of his favorite pastimes and he took any chance he could to get her riled up. He enjoyed trying to make her face as red as her lips and dress with a prank or an innuendo. She typically threw it right back at him, something that made their relationship so interesting. Sabrina Spellman was stubborn and Nicholas Scratch was steadfast. When they worked together they were stronger than steel. When they went head to head, it was messy, explosive, and wildly entertaining. But when the dust settled and the sun set they were always back on the same side, no matter if someone waved a white flag or they were just plain worn out. 

So when Nick tried to pull her onto the dance floor she put up a real fight for a few minutes, claiming they shouldn’t. But Nick pointed out that even grumpy Mrs. Preston shared a dance with her husband so it was allowed. What Sabrina didn’t admit was that she wasn’t afraid of getting in trouble. She could handle lingering stares and Mrs. Preston, but she was unsure if she’d be able to be that close to Nick without wanting more. It was his dark pleading eyes and, once again, that lopsided smile that made her change her mind and pull him on the dance floor when _I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing_ started playing through the raspy speakers. She thought it was an odd choice given that the teens likely didn’t listen to Aerosmith but she liked it and she _loved_ Nick so she let him pull her to him. 

As the song began she allowed Nick to grab her hand and place the other on her back. Her hand grasped his shoulder near where it met his neck. In her heels she was nearly as tall as him and she liked being able to look him in the eyes, though the more she did the warmer she felt. Nick kept trying to pull her closer and as much as she wanted him to, she resisted. 

“You let me hold you closer when we were sophomores, and we weren’t even dating then.” Nick whispered in her ear. His warm breath tickled her skin and made her shiver. Still, she laughed.

“Back then we were students. Now we’re _chaperones._ And I believe I’ve said that a few times now.”

“Still.” He teased as his hand drifted down from the modest place on her back to an even lower location, threatening her mission to hold him at a distance. “It’s not like we have to leave room for Jesus. This isn’t Catholic School.” 

“I’ll still smack you.” She teased right back. “I’m not above corporal punishment if the mood is right.”

“Don’t promise something you can’t follow through with, babe.” There was his breathy voice again, dusting the skin by her ear with fire and ice. She had to physically calm herself to keep from doing anything that might get her fired or give Mrs. Preston a heart attack. He knew by the way her grip tightened in his hand and how the nails of her other hand scraped the back of his neck that he was having an effect. She was having an effect on him too, but he had been good at hiding that for nearly two decades. So while it was getting harder to do so over the last few months, he was certain she would break before he would. 

And he was there with his hands open to catch her when she did, like a child catching water from a hose in the dead of summer, eager to drink it up. 

He turned to look at her, her own eyes reflecting back what he was sure his were riddled with. A perfect storm, the bright lightening of a newfound love affair and the booming thunder of both of their hearts beating with intensity. Love and lust. Passion and gentleness. 

She cleared her throat and pulled herself from him just as the song was ending. He raised his eyebrows at her sudden movement, not in hurt but confusion. Her eyes were wide like a deer in headlights before she pulled on a sly mask that made his heart rattle even more.

“You clearly cannot be trusted.” She crossed her arms at him as the song transitioned into some current pop number that the students started cheering for as they gathered in a line. Apparently there was a dance to go along with it.

“Sorry that I love you.” Nick shrugged. Sabrina rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m going back to the snack station. Go man the photo booth and try to stay out of trouble.” She said to him before spinning on her heels and walking away before she crumbed. Nick couldn’t help but watch as her dress twirled and lifted as she spun. He swallowed hard once recognizing his drifting thoughts before going back to the photo booth, catching Sabrina’s glance every so often, smirking at her until she smirked back. 

-

In the car ride back Sabrina leaned her head back against the headrest and reminisced. She thought about Nick tonight, though making a ton of cheeky comments, had really been amazing. Harvey had never agreed to chaperone with her, and Nick had done so without second thought and kept her laughing and entertained all night. She thought about the way he held her on the dance floor, teasing her about coming closer but not pushing it. Sabrina remembered a homecoming ten years ago, Nick as her date in a different red dress.

He had picked her up with food in the car and hadn’t rolled his eyes when she needed a few minutes to touch up her makeup. He had spiked the punch that night, but warned her first, and didn’t partake himself since he was driving her home. 

He held her close then, and she let him, even wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her head on his shoulders. He smelled exactly as he did now, leather and pine and comfort. He had been a gentleman that night too, holding doors and dancing to both fast and slow songs. He’d even done the Cupid Shuffle. 

What surprised her most is that he sent Harvey over to her to dance with her for one song. Nick knew Sabrina liked him and the whole world knew Harvey liked her, and Nick wanted her to be happy. Sabrina had enjoyed it, Harvey was more tentative and didn’t hold her as close, but he had never been as bold as Nick. Sabrina thanked him for the dance, and when he asked for another she politely declined telling him she was there with Nick. But added with a smile that she wasn’t _with_ Nick.

Well she was with Nick now and when she told him to take her back to his house he obliged with a kiss on her hand and let his fingers linger on her thigh when he set her hand back down. His fingers drummed against her leg in sync with her beating heart and the brewing storm outside. His subtle touch was drenching her with fire and containing it was getting difficult.

By the time they reached Nick’s home the rain was falling down harder. Nick shrugged his jacket and held it over Sabrina’s head as they ran up his porch steps and into the house. It was a small gesture that made Sabrina feel big things. He poured them both a glass of wine before he sat down on the couch. 

“Pop a squat, Spellman, and I’ll rub your feet.” He patted the spot next to him but she didn't sit down. Instead she moved to flip on his gas fireplace and then to the record player in the corner. With a scratch of the needle, Arctic Monkeys’ _I Wanna Be Yours_ started playing as she glided back to him with a smirk on her face. 

“Stand up, Scratch.” She held out her hand. “I believe I owe you a proper dance.”

He bit his lip and stood up and she immediately folded into his arms. They were dancing even closer than they did in high school, their chests pressed together and breathing each other’s air. Nick has his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and her arms were around his neck, her head on her shoulder, nose brushing his jaw. They swayed slightly to the music, growing closer and holding each other tighter as it went on. 

The storm outside was building and it was likely one that would cut the power but they didn’t notice or even really care, too wrapped up in the other’s presence.

Nick leaned down to kiss her hair and she kissed his chin and soon it turned into their lips meeting and warming each other up from the cold. Nick’s kiss was sweet and tender, savoring her closeness as they didn’t break their dance. It was in that moment that they both knew.

She broke the contact to look up at him, his dark eyes were burrowing into hers as if she held all the answers in her hands, right there next to his heart. 

“Nick.” She managed to get out before he lifted her off her feet with ease and she wrapped her legs around his waist. 

They didn’t bother to turn off the record player or flip on the light to his bedroom as he set her back down on her feet. The moon that was still shining and flickers of lightning bouncing off her hair provided the only light they needed. Not taking her eyes off of him, she kicked off her heels and reached behind her to unzip her dress. When it fell to the floor Nick’s heart stopped and his breath hitched, never in his whole life had he seen someone so perfect. Sabrina Spellman in lacy black lingerie would be an image burned in his mind for the rest of his life. She bit her lip and walked closer to his frozen stance and started to undo his tie and then, almost devastatingly slow, her dainty fingers undid each button and she slid the shirt off of his shoulders. She tackled his belt and pants next, breathing heavy and slow and aware of the effect she was having on him. 

It was when he stepped out of the pants she shoved down that he finally remembered how to move. He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her to him, kissing her in a hungry manner while pulling her to the bed. He laid down and she moved on top of him. They carefully removed each other’s underwear and soon there was nothing between them but anticipation. Sabrina felt a similar twinge of intrigue that she usually got when the trailers started at the Paramount. But this was more intense. This, she wanted more.

Whispers of are you sure were exchanged between kisses on necks and I love you’s against skin. After flipping them, Nick kissed her one more time before setting between her legs. It was the two of them touching, Sabrina’s hand in his hair, his lips on her collarbone when they finally joined. And it was as if the whole world stopped turning, it’s continuance entirely dependent on them.

Nick was always convinced his body was like a skeleton key, easily fit in and with anyone he could find. Now he was certain every part of him was made for her, and her for him. He could see clearly between the stars that she owned him entirely and he wouldn’t want it any other way. 

With their bodies moving as one, Sabrina felt she finally understood what all the fuss was about when it came to sex. They had only just started, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was absolutely no one else for her. The way that Nick moved, the places he hit, the way he made her scream, she could only describe as being in another world entirely. One where there was only him and her and their rhythmic movement. She swore she saw the stars align. She had slept with Harvey, had a one night stand in college, but this. _This._ This is what it felt like to be worshipped and loved body and soul.

As they worked each other to the end, Sabrina trying out some things of her own, she grabbed his face so he would look at her.

“Nick.” She breathed out. “Let go.”

It was her simple request whispered against his lips, her brown eyes staring into his, that pushed him over the edge. His crying out of her name brought her down with him.

It took him awhile to roll off of her, but he immediately pulled her back to him so she was practically lying on top of him. Her head against his still beating heart, pressing kisses against it. Their sweaty bodies were plastered together, safe, sated and satisfied. Nick kissed her hair repeatedly, whispering how much he loved her, showing her he cherished her in the way he played with her hair. 

“Best homecoming ever.” Nick croaked out. His voice was hoarse and he was certain he’d have marks in the morning. But he didn’t care. Sabrina simply giggled and leaned up to kiss him sweetly. The gentleness of it a contrast to what they had just done, but every bit as wonderful. 

They didn’t quite believe in Heaven but both knew that what they were expecting right then in there was far greater than any old book could promise. And they didn’t want to leave, and never would. 

-

When Sabrina walked inside her door at her shared apartment with Roz the next day it was well into the afternoon. Nick had made her breakfast in bed and when they finished eating he sampled something else below her waist that had her seeing even more stars. Sabrina went straight for Roz's room and found her friend sitting on her bed reading. Sabrina walked in and threw herself back so she was lying down. With a deep smile and a smile she turned her head to Roz.

"That good, huh?" Roz asked her a cheeky smile on her face. She could tell by the way Sabrina was glowing that something special had happened the night before. 

"So good, Roz." Sabrina said as he rolled on her stomach. She bit her lip and got a dreamy, dewey look in her eyes before looking back at Roz. "I'm gonna marry him."

She said with certainty. It was the first time she'd said it to anyone but Nick. They'd only been dating for just over two months but she knew it to be true. 

She would marry Nick Scratch. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END SCENE.  
> And they finally did the deed. This Nick and Sabrina are just so damn cute and I couldn't help but include a little scene that we didn't get in Marry Me. I imagine Nick and Sabrina had plenty of cute moments where Nick had Sabrina's back, but Nick bringing her to a dance just seemed like a given to me. 
> 
> Also thank you for letting me reminisce about sorta crappy but also amazing 90s romcoms. She's All That is definitely a keeper. Also they're doing remake but switching the roles? Interesting. We'll see.
> 
> Anyways as always I love feedback so let me know what you think and if you have any scenes you wanna see/songs you want inspired let me know!


	5. You Are in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's have a better birthday shall we?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it's been forever since I've updated Nick and Sabrina in this universe. And shoot dang I missed them. Let's have Nick and Sabrina celebrate a birthday

Born to Love You

* * *

You Are in Love 

**You can hear it in the silence, silence, you**   
**You can feel it on the way home, way home, you**   
**You can see it with the lights out, lights out**   
**You are in love, true love**   
**You are in love**

“Do you really have to head back to your place tonight?” Nick asked her as he popped four pieces of bread down in the toaster. Sabrina was in his kitchen, in his shirt, and frying up some eggs on the stove. Her hair was a mess and while she may disagree, he thought she was a sight to behold. If asked she’d say the same about him with his morning voice and sweatpants that hugged low on his hips. Him walking around shirtless surely helped as well. Since the night after the homecoming dance, the two could barely keep their hands off of each other, and had barely made it in the front door after drinks with Prudence and Ambrose last night. Neither would say it with words, but both were damn glad their relationship had taken a turn for the physical. They’d let their bodies do the talking and boy, they said a lot.

“I haven’t been there in a few days, Nick. Salem probably hates me and it's not fair to make Roz feed him.” Sabrina said as Nick brought over the toast and she plopped an egg on each plate. Instead of making her way to his table, she jumped up and sat on his counter. She took a bite of her sandwich and continued speaking, voice muffled from her breakfast. She had crumbs on the corner of her mouth but Nick still found her to be breathtaking. “We’re gonna do a girls night. Believe me, I love staying here but...I really should get home.”

“I get it, Spellman. But I’ll miss you.” Nick said sincerely. He took up his own spot near her, leaning on the counter. He wanted so badly to ask her to move in with him. She could have all the girls nights she wanted, but he'd have her next to him each night. Nick didn’t ask though as they’d only been together for four months. And while he’d have welcomed her into his home the day she showed up in her wedding dress, he didn’t want to push her. Someday they’d move in together eventually, get married, have kids with curly hair and big brown eyes with a stubborn attitude to match. They both believed that, and Nick would wait as long as it took. 

“I’ll miss you too, but I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow.” Sabrina answered and took a bite of her breakfast sandwich but kept talking with her mouth full. She didn’t give two shits what she looked like or having manners. It was Nick and she didn’t have to be anything other than herself around him. “And it’s probably time you share me.” 

“I suppose that is fair. You’re pretty wonderful.” Nick said with a wink as he bit into his sandwich too. She smiled at him, forever grateful that they ended up here together. “Speaking of sharing you, your birthday is coming up soon and while I’d love to hole up with you in my bedroom, I assume that other people will want to see you.” 

“A day with you in your bedroom sounds amazing.” She gave him a coy smile that nearly made him drop his breakfast and snatch hers to whisk her off into his room right now. But they both had work to get to. “But I always like to do something special for my birthday. It is Halloween."

“I’m aware of when your birthday is, Sabrina.” Sabrina rolled her eyes at the _no shit sherlock_ look Nick was giving her. She giggled though, and was curious as to why Nick had brought her birthday up in the first place. 

“What about my birthday anyways?”

“Ambrose and I have it covered this year.” 

“Can I help?” Sabrina dropped the last crust bits of her sandwich on her plate, and dusted off her hands. She looked at him in earnest, knowing that the eyes she was giving him had won many arguments in the past. Those big, brown, doe-like eyes were his kryptonite. He’d given her his gushers, the keys to his car, and his heart. All because of those damn eyes. But today, he’d have to be strong. 

“Nope.” He smirked at her but she narrowed her eyes at him, devising a plan. She jumped down from the counter and placed her hands on his bare chest. He closed his eyes, obviously affected by her, silently cursing himself for allowing another part of her to nearly win him over so easily. He groaned at her contact. “Spellman…”

“Nick, it’ll be fun. Imagine all the nights I’ll spend here planning it.” Her gaze was wicked, but he wouldn’t give in. He wanted this birthday to be special, perfect even. And he wanted it to be a surprise. 

“I’m sorry, Spellman. But you’re gonna have to let this one go.” 

“Ugh, fine.” Sabrina relented, but secretly plotted to get him to give in later, perhaps her plan would involve her being naked. She tapped his chest once and pecked his lips. He tasted like black coffee and cheddar cheese and the normalcy of it all made her smile. “I need to get ready for work. And you do too.”

“You gonna shower?” Nick asked her as she put their dishes in the sink. She paused before turning to him, knowing already the dark smirk he’d be wearing. 

“Yes.” Sabrina said, leaning against the counter again and crossing her arms. The motion lifted his shirt she was wearing up a bit, exposing more of her milky thighs. His eyes drifted down to them, and Sabrina knew she could take this moment as an opportunity to tease him or make him share his birthday plans. But the way he was staring at her: desire, admiration and deep love all rolled into one, made her forget all about denying him. She pressed her lips together and tilted her head. His gaze was burrowing as he hung on the words she’d say next. She reached her hand out intending for him to take it. When he did she rubbed her thumb against his palm and requested, “Join me?” 

His knees nearly buckled as she pulled him to his bathroom. He couldn’t tell her what he had planned for her birthday. But this, he wouldn’t say no to. 

-

Sabrina wandered the aisles of Greendale’s one and only grocery store in search of the perfect mix of junk food for her movie night with Nick. The girls night she’d had with Roz proved to be exactly what the friends needed and it had inspired her to plan one with her boyfriend. Today had been rough that day, her AP English Class giving her a hard time over the paper she was having them write based on horror literature. It wasn’t due until the Monday after Halloween so they had a few weeks to get it done, but it had caused an uproar in the class that gave her a headache. So she called Nick from her car when the day was over and he was quick to agree to an evening cuddling with her on his couch, and maybe making out a little. 

She’d wandered around the store and grabbed a few bottles of the rose wine that she liked and the cabernet Nick did and threw whatever junk food was jumping out at her as she passed it. She was in the cookie dough section, contemplating whether she and Nick needed the whole tub, when she heard a familiar and quiet voice. 

“Brina?” The sound of it sent a chill down her back. She hadn’t heard it in four months but it could be four hundred years and she’d still recognize him. She’d hear his disappointed breath when she ran out on him for a while. 

“Harvey.” Sabrina said as she turned around to face him. He had a small smile on his face and carried around a basket with a few items in it that she remembered picking up for him when she went to the store: mac and cheese, applesauce, and potato chips. Sabrina opened and closed her mouth a few times, knowing that asking him how he was doing was probably wrong, and she had no idea what to say. As she struggled to figure something out, Harvey cleared his throat and spoke first.

“How are you?” Her eyes widened at his ask but she quickly pulled herself together. 

“I uh- I’m good, Harvey. How are you?”

“I’m good too.” Silence filled the space between them and Sabrina felt the awkwardness in her whole self. She felt weird standing here with Harvey, she missed him, but not in a romantic way. She was able to confirm in that moment that not going through with the wedding had been the right choice, as the longing she felt was one of friendship. “I actually was hoping to talk to you soon. Do you have some time? We can go to Cee’s when you’re finished up...”

“Are you sure, Harvey?” Sabrina asked cautiously. She wanted to talk to Harvey, clear the air, and maybe be friends again. But she didn’t want him to do it until he was ready. Harvey nodded in response and offered a small smile that Sabrina gladly returned. “I’d love to meet with you, Harvey. I’m just about finished up.”

“I’ll go and get us a table.” Harvey said and then looked down at the two kinds of cookie dough Sabrina still had in her hands. “Get the big one.” 

Sabrina and Harvey shared a short laugh before he moved to the front of the store to pay. Sabrina finished up her grocery hall too, picking up the darker roast coffee that Nick liked so she’d have it at her place the next time he stayed over. 

Sabrina found Harvey in the old booth they’d shared for years, a cherry chocolate chip milkshake in front of the seat meant to be hers. Suddenly nerves and worry filled her chest. She couldn’t help but think that it was possible Harvey was going to try and get her back. It wasn’t what she wanted and it was difficult to believe it'd be what he wanted, given she’d broken his heart. But she supposed anything was possible.

When she sat down across from him she distracted her mouth by taking a sip of her shake, giving him the chance to speak first. He didn’t seem nervous at all and the smile he was sending her was downright friendly. She had expected to be on Harvey’s shitlist for a very long time so his positive attitude was confusing her. She was intrigued, and had no idea where the conversation was going to go. 

“Thanks for meeting with me, Brina.” Harvey crossed his hands and placed them on the table. 

“Thank you, Harvey.” Sabrina explained and then shook her head slightly, choosing to be honest with him. “I didn’t expect you to want to talk to me so soon.” 

“To be honest, I didn’t think I ever would.” Harvey responded and his words cut her like a knife, but she knew she might deserve them. Sabrina avoided his eyes, worrying now he was going to yell at her. But his voice softened. “But the more I thought about it the more I realized how right you were.” Sabrina’s gaze shot up to his, in shock. “I think you made the right decision, ‘Brina.”

“Uh, um, you do?” Sabrina asked him in a near whisper as she leaned her elbows on the table, the milkshake long forgotten. 

“I do.” Harvey was incredibly sincere, maybe even the most so Sabrina had ever seen him. He looked older, more mature, Sabrina may even say happy. “I didn’t see it at first, and I know it’s only been a few months but...I think us _not_ getting married was the right choice.”

“Harvey, I don’t know what to say.” Sabrina spoke with honesty.

“I mean I wish we’d have realized it before the wedding.” Harvey teased and Sabrina felt like she could finally smile. “But you and Nick? That just makes sense, Brina. In a way you and I never could.” Sabrina opened her mouth to speak but Harvey kept going. “You love each other in a way we never did.” 

“I’m so sorry, Harvey. I really, truly never meant to hurt you. I just-I couldn’t go through with it once I realized. I just-”

“I know, Brina.” Harvey reached over and placed his hand on hers. There were no sparks when he did it. There was warmth, but no passion, it was friendly in nature. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you. To tell you I’m not angry. That I forgive you.”

“Thank you, Harvey.” Sabrina couldn’t help the tears that welled in her eyes. Harvey had always been a close friend and while losing him to gain Nick would have been worth it, if she had a choice she wouldn’t lose him at all. “You have no idea what it means to me to hear you say that.” 

“I’m hoping to move past it all.” Harvey said. “So we can be friends.”

“I want that too, Harvey.” Sabrina wiped her face and smiled. “It’s totally up to you, but my birthday is coming up and there’s gonna be some sort of party. I’d love for you to come if you want.” Harvey smiled back and nodded. “I don’t know what it’s like, Ambrose and um-” Sabrina stopped, not sure if she should mention Nick. 

“You can say his name, Brina.” Harvey encouraged.

“Nick.” Sabrina pressed her lips together and nodded. “Nick and Ambrose planned it. You should come.”

“I’ll think about it.” Harvey offered with a small smile. Sabrina decided she’d take it, knowing that he may not come, but hopeful they may be back on the road to being friends again. 

-

It’s about a week before her birthday when Sabrina tries to get information about her birthday again. She’d already attempted seducing Nick on the dance floor, promising to come over and do Ambrose's laundry and swore she’d go back to Harvey if they didn’t tell her. The last one had earned her a bout of laughter from Nick, and none of them had been successful. Sabrina had to ignore the swell in her chest at Nick’s confidence in their relationship, but it was easy to do so when Nick and Ambrose started speaking cryptically again. Sabrina hated to be out of the loop, and it bugged her to no end that her cousin and boyfriend knew something she didn’t.

“I invited Harvey by the way.” She said, pacing in front of the boys, thinking the invite would bother Nick. He just chuckled and shook his head at her. Little did she know Harvey had actually reached out to Ambrose already, and was planning to come. 

“Good.” Nick said and tilted his head. Sabrina stopped her pacing in its tracks and narrowed her eyes at him. “The more the merrier, that’s what Hilda always says, right?” 

“You’re okay with that?” Sabrina looked at him and let her crossed arms fall. She nearly dropped all her anger at them again when Nick smiled and nodded. But once again it was short lived because of her infuriatingly annoying cousin, Ambrose.

“But Harvey won’t like that one thing, Nicholas.” Ambrose smirked when Sabrina glared at him and Nick tried to cover up more laughter with a cough, though to no avail. 

“I hate this.” Sabrina grumbled and crinkled her nose as she plopped herself on the couch close to Nick. His arm slumped around his shoulder and his head fell back in laughter at her frustration. Sabrina huffed at his laughter and then turned to her cousin who was laughing too. “You can’t keep what we’re doing for my birthday from me. How am I supposed to plan?”

“You don’t, cousin, that’s the point.” Ambrose quipped.

“Let us surprise you, Spellman.” Nick said and reached over to kiss her cheek. She wiped her face in defiance when he was done and Nick shook his head, smiling at her. Her annoyance was adorable and he wouldn’t crack. Sabrina was stubborn but Nick wasn’t backing down. “Don’t you trust us?” Nick asked her, nuzzling his nose into her neck to get her to drop her questioning. Ambrose had gotten up to refill their drinks, knowing if anyone was going to calm Sabrina down, it was Nick. He’d always been able to know what to say, ever since they were six years old. So, Nick went with the gut punch. “Don’t you trust me?” 

“Of course.” Sabrina let out a breath. She squeezed her eyes tight once before looking over at him. He was sincere in his studying gaze. “I just don’t like not knowing.”

“Sabrina do you think I’d let your first birthday as your boyfriend fall flat?” Nick raised his eyebrows and Sabrina finally smiled, adoration and trust all wrapped into one. She shook her head and leaned up to kiss him sweetly. “It’s going to be the best day. Starting with a good morning.” He kissed her this time, deep and promising more. “And a better night.” He kissed her again and this time she wanted the more he had been hinting at. She pulled him to his feet and started to pull him to the door. Her anger at him fell away with every word, and she realized she was never really mad at him in the first place. His confidence and trust in their relationship he’d been displaying all night was very attractive and a huge turn on. 

“Take me home, Nick. See if you can make tonight a good night too…”

Nick shot Ambrose an apologetic look as he approached with three more drinks. Sabrina didn’t look sorry at all.

“Where are you two going? I just bought drinks.”

“Bye, Ambrose!” Sabrina waved as she pulled Nick out even faster.

“Abandoning me for sex. Very cool guys.” Ambrose quipped but didn’t hide his smug smile either. He was happy for his cousin and his friend, the two of them had been linked together or a long time and he was glad the two of them were finally together. 

Nick just shrugged and allowed himself to be pulled away by Sabrina. His favorite person. He’d probably have to buy Ambrose drinks for the rest of the year, but he didn’t care at all. 

-

When Sabrina’s birthday rolled around a week later, Nick picked her up promptly at noon, which would give them plenty of time to get to the city, execute his plan, and back in time for her party. He’d left her house at about ten that morning to go change and do the final preparations and he nearly didn’t make it out of her bed after making good on his promise for a great morning. He’d shown up on time, knowing she typically grew antsy when he was late, and her big smile and sound kiss when he arrived in dark pants and a charcoal sweater made getting up a little early worth it. 

Sabrina was grateful Nick at least told her what to wear, something nice and casual, not too dressy but not jeans either. She ended up in a black skirt, dark purple top and leather jacket and Nick didn’t hesitate to tell her how incredible she looked. He was a little nervous to celebrate her first birthday as a couple. But he drew on their countless birthdays they’d shared over the last 20 years and the knowledge that he knew her better than anyone. What he had planned was certainly something she’d enjoy, but he still didn’t want to mess it up. 

The drive into the city didn’t take that long and Nick was grateful. Despite having seen her that morning and being there when all her Aunts and cousin showed up when she awoke with blueberry pancakes and bacon, Nick still relished in hearing her chat on about it. He could listen to her speak endlessly, whether she was rattling off her grocery list or taking a turn reading a book aloud. They never ran out of things to talk about. 

She asked him where they were going about a million times but he didn’t answer and eventually she relented, and took advantage of him letting her choose the music. He was touching her in some way the entire ride, either their hands intertwined and draped on top of the center console of his hand laid on top of her thigh, and it helped ease his nerves. Nicholas Scratch was the epitome of charm and confidence, so seeing him rattled threw Sabrina off a bit, but she found it endearing and incredibly sweet that he was trying so hard. She leaned across and kissed his cheek when they made it to downtown New York City and he didn’t even hide his blush.

“What was that for?” Nick asked her, bashful.

“I just love you.” Sabrina answered simply and brushed her fingertips against his cheek. It made his heart speed up and Nick had to focus hard to stay on the road. 

“Sabrina, I’m driving.” He looked over and winked at her. 

“But it’s my birthday.” She smiled slyly and Nick could see it out of the corner of his eye. 

“Later, babe.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “We’re almost there.” 

There turned out to be a large warehouse turned popup bar-museum that Sabrina recognized immediately. Nick found a parking spot and moved to open her door for her, and she grasped onto his hand immediately. 

“Nick, is this?” She paused in disbelief. “This can’t be.”

“You mean is this the Popup Museum of Darkness? A Collection of all things Horror and Murder? Why yes it is.” Nick answered with a smile, practically giddy with how excited Sabrina looked. 

“How did you get tickets? I tried right away and they were all sold out!”

“The detective involved in one of the murders on display owed me a favor from another case we worked on.” Nick shrugged and Sabrina’s smile was brighter than he’d ever seen it. “I hear they have a whole room dedicated to the Grimm version of Little Red Riding Hood.” 

“Oh my God, let’s go there first.” She wrapped her arm in his as she made for the door. “Oh and then we have to go to the Dracula section. I’ve heard it’s incredible. And the Ted Bundy room. Nick, I can’t believe you did this!”

“I figured it’s something you’d like.” Nick barely got the words out though before she was pulling him down and kissing him. The kiss was heated and she put every way she could say thank you into it. When she pulled away she didn’t care that people might be staring, these were their horror-loving people. She and Nick fit in there. 

“It’s something I love. And something I’d only want to do with you.” Nick leaned in and kissed her one more time, quick but soft. “Should we go? I hear they have themed food and drinks too.”

“It is past noon, so a Bloody Mary might be in order.” She giggled and kissed him again, unable to stop doing so. “Lead the way, Spellman.” 

They spent the afternoon exploring the whole museum. It was better than Nick and Sabrina could have imagined. There were people dressed up in character, a haunted house lay in the museum’s center, and the food and drinks were incredible. Sabrina looked like a kid in a candy store, her smile growing from exhibit to exhibit. Her jaw dropped when he bought her an original edition of _Frankenstein_ from the rare books section of the gift shop. He reminded her it was her birthday and made her wait to the side so she wouldn’t see how much it had really cost. It didn’t matter to him though, he’d have paid much more to see her smile and amazement as her fingers drifted across the cover. That had earned him another kiss, which he readily returned. 

When it was nearing five o’clock, Nick ushered Sabrina out of the museum and back to his car. He reminded her that he begrudgingly had to share her with others on her birthday and it was time for part two of the day. But before they could leave the city, Sabrina had pressed him against his car and made sure she got to make out with him for a few moments. He didn’t complain, and didn’t care if they’d be a little late going back. 

On the way home, Sabrina sat thinking about something she’d brought up at Dorian’s the previous week. The silence between them was comfortable but she had no issues breaking it, and never had. 

“Nick?” She asked him and he turned his head quickly toward her to indicate she could speak. She caught a glimpse of the way the setting sun cascaded him in a beautiful light. She saw specs of gold in his eyes and the ones that danced across his skin. He’d called her stunning many times, but the word could be used to describe him too. She was so caught up in the moment of admiring Nicholas Scratch, the boy who had trusted her with his smile and his favorite candy who became the only man who could ever make her as happy as she was. Still, her own insecurities once and a while got the better of her. And unfortunately today, on her birthday in the car with the most gorgeous man, was one of those days. “Do you really not care that I invited Harvey?”

She didn’t want there to be any resentment. She didn’t want Nick to be unsure, because she was sure. _So sure,_ that she and Nick would make it to the end of the line.

“Do you want me to care?” He quirked an eyebrow up and glanced at her slightly in a teasing manner. He had one hand gripped on the steering wheel and the other was wrapped around the back of her seat.

“No of course not.” Sabrina rolled her eyes at his joking. “But when we talked about it you were so nonchalant and made it into a joke. I just wanted to make sure and give you a chance to say what you feel.” 

“Is Harvey coming to your party going to suddenly make you want to be with him?” Nick asked and Sabrina’s face contorted in surprise. That was absolutely not the case.

“No, Nick-”

“And is he going to want you back after this?”

“No, he’s glad we didn’t get married. He told me himself.” Sabrina reminded him of the milkshake she’d gotten with Harvey. She’d told Nick all about it as soon as she’d gotten to his place. He’d been supportive then, letting her rant and vent and express all her emotions about her jilted groom forgiving her. 

“Okay then, Spellman.” Nick moved to grab her hand and bring it to his lips to kiss quickly. He stole a glance at her before looking back at the road. He wanted to keep looking at her, but well, he was driving. “Then I don’t care. In fact, I’m glad you did. Kinkle was your friend long before you dated and got engaged. I know he’s important to you.” 

“Really?” Sabrina asked and scooted closer to him on the left side of her seat. 

“Really.” He nodded and then smirked. “Besides I know better than to tell you who you can and can’t see. If I tried to do that you’d probably dump me and that I wouldn’t survive.” 

“Oh yeah?” She teased him, giggling. He was right, he would never try to control her or tell her what to do. He supported her, and would call her out on her shit, but forbidding her to do something or see someone would never be a part of her relationship. It made her heart swell that he knew her perfectly.

“Oh yeah.” He nodded his head and feigned seriousness. “If we weren’t together well…” Sabrina bit her lip in anticipation of what he would say next. Would it be sweet or snarky? She didn’t know and couldn’t wait to find out. “I would severely miss Hilda’s cooking.” Sabrina laughed outright and shoved him playfully, gently of course to keep them both safe. He joined in her laughter before placing his hand on her thigh and rubbing small circles. He grew more serious then and she looked at him again, her very best friend and the very best man bathed in gold. “Nah, I wouldn’t survive without you Sabrina because I love you. And you? Are everything.” 

Tears of joy and of sentiment flooded Sabrina’s eyes and she was damn glad that she chose the waterproof mascara and eyeliner. She leaned over again and kissed his cheek, letting her fingertips linger. They were getting closer to the mortuary now and the country roads were much easier than the highways, so Nick could let his attention wander a bit. He rewarded his patience with a soft and intimate kiss to her lips at a red light, one that would have dissolved to more, had they not had a party to get to. 

Sabrina absolutely had no idea what to expect for the party, but she did not expect what Nick and Ambrose had planned. Her childhood home, which had an air of creepiness to begin with, had somehow been transformed to be even creepier. It had been turned into a haunted house equipped with hired actors, animatronics, and enough fake blood to outdo any horror movie. Her friends and family were around too, all in costume to celebrate the holiday that her birthday shared. 

Sabrina hugged her aunts and cousin, still in shock, before Nick pulled her up to her childhood room. He had a few more surprises for her in the shape of a couples costume and a birthday present. He’d wanted a couple minutes with her to himself before he relinquished her to the party. Though they’d spent the whole day together, it would never be enough, but he knew other people wanted her too.

He used his little time he had to kiss her against the bedroom door until they were both breathless and had to break apart to restore their lungs to functional status. He brushed her hair back down and she brushed the lipstick off his face that had transferred from her to him as he moved to another area of the room and pulled something out of her old closet. 

“So this is a costume party, Spellman.” He said as he licked his lips, gathering remnants of their kiss and tasting her again. He brought over an outfit for her and for him and her eyes widened, but nearly as wide as her smile. “Be the Wendy to my Peter Pan?”

“Oh my God yes, Nick.” Sabrina liked the way Nick smiled at her then, full of affection and pure bliss. 

He was feeling proud that she approved of his choice. It wasn’t a horror costume choice, but he found some appreciation in going the Disney route. It was a nice contrast to the tone of the rest of the party and she loved Disney, almost as much as she loved horror. He helped her into her dress and she made sure his Peter Pan hat was on just right, before he surprised her again with a small wrapped box with a bow.

“Nick, you’ve done enough.” Sabrina tried to tell him but he simply shook his head with a smile.

“I could never do enough for you, Spellman.” He said easily and with complete sincerity. 

Sabrina opened the box to find a beautiful silver necklace with an Opal stone, her birthstone. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before and looked vintage. Confirming her thoughts he told her about it. 

“It was my mom’s.” Sabrina’s eyes shot up to his and she began to protest but he put his finger on her lips. “An ancestor ages ago was born in October too. It’s something that’s been passed down to the daughters in the family. She didn’t have any, but if she had met you I know she would have loved you. You’d have been like a daughter to her.”

“Nick-this is-it’s beautiful.” Her waterproof makeup was working overtime today and Nick wiped the tears out of her eyes and kissed her forehead. His hands caressed her face and she gazed up at him, his look piercing and loving. She felt his next words to her core and knew with absolute certainty it would happen. 

“You can give it to our daughter someday.” 

She had to kiss him then and wrapped her arms fully around his neck to hold him close. She poured every ounce of feeling she had into the kiss to show him just how important to her he was. He’d proved time and time again she was important to him, but she never wanted him to think it wasn’t reciprocated. She caught glimpses of their future life then, a daughter with curly brown hair and her big eyes and big personality, a son with the same dark features with his nose in a book. She wanted it, and she wanted it with him. She told him again and again in the way she kissed him that the future he wanted, it was her dream too. 

“I love it.” She said when she finally pulled away, feeling like she was living on cloud nine from the way they had kissed each other. “I love you.” 

He kissed her one last time gently before they moved to collect themselves and go join the party. Sabrina had gotten an array of gifts from her friends and family ranging from a box set of classic horror movies to a scratch off poster of classic novels. It was a wonderful evening and she dragged Nick through the Haunted House a few times, holding onto him tighter each go around. 

They ate homemade pizza and Hilda made red velvet cake and the night was turning out to be perfect. She was chatting with her cousin about the party and thanking him for all his hard work. Ambrose relented with his hands up that he really shouldn’t be the one to thank. 

It shouldn’t have been as shocking as it was to Sabrina, that Nick had planned what he did for her birthday. Nick had insisted that Ambrose had helped, but when she asked her cousin he reported he was behind the logistics. The creative brains behind the whole operation? That was all Nick. Sabrina had no doubts that he was the man, the only man, for her. But if she had, this birthday would have only confirmed what she’d known all along: he knew her and loved her to her core, every broken and beautiful piece that made up who she was. 

Her daze thinking about Nick was broken when she saw Harvey approach in his red truck. Her heart leaped because he had come and it sent hope coursing through her veins that things could maybe get back to normal. Her ex-fiance made a bee-line for Nick, who was standing talking to Theo’s boyfriend Robin. Nick’s hand holding his beer paused mid-sip when Harvey approached him. Nick looked nervous. He wouldn’t fight Harvey Kinkle, though he knew he’d win, but didn’t know what the guy was going to do. Sabrina excused herself from her cousin’s side to go defuse the situation. 

It turned out she didn’t need to though, as Harvey mumbled a few words to Nick and held out his hand to shake. It was a gesture of respect and support, one Nick had given to Harvey way back when she was engaged to him. Nick took it and the two men had some sort of unspoken conversation, Nick agreeing to take care of Sabrina and never hurt her. Harvey knew he wouldn’t, Nick had always held her hand and caught her when she fell. 

Sabrina approached them anyways and Harvey gave her a quick, friendly hug and told her happy birthday. He made his way to the food then and Sabrina turned to Nick who looked just as stunned as she felt. 

“So that just happened.” Nick muttered and Sabrina laughed and moved to press herself into his side.

“It sure did.” He leaned down to kiss her forehead and then put his beer down, so he could hug her properly. Her face snuggled into his neck and she breathed deep of his familiar scent and let the warmth and love and promise of forever wash over her. She leaned back slightly to look at him in the eyes and pressed her hand to her heart once and then touched his. He kissed her in response, knowing no words could capture how he felt about this woman in his arms. She kissed him back in earnest, not caring that her cousin was whistling and her friends were staring when she allowed him to slip his tongue in and curl against hers. When he moved to pepper her neck with ticklish kisses she giggled and it was music to his ears. He kissed her lips one more time before whispering later against her lips. Frankly, they were both tired of later, but had a party to finish. 

“Thank you for making my birthday so special, Nick.” She said later as she laid her head on his shoulder and they sat in front of a bonfire.

“Anything for you.” He kissed her hair. “I’ll make every birthday special for the rest of your life.” 

“As long as you’re by my side it will be.” 

“Good thing I’m not going anywhere, Spellman.” He tugged her closer and wrapped her tighter in the blanket they were sharing.

“Promise?” She turned her face and it was her who was bathed in gold now, the flames from the fire igniting her porcelain skin and moonlight hair. He kissed her again because he couldn’t help it. It was short, but sweet, and perfectly them.

“Promise.” 

**  
  
  
**

**Author's Note:**

> Sabrina's head is a mess but she loves Nick.  
> Nick loves Sabrina so much he's willing to help her wade it through.
> 
> Let me know what kind of scenes you'd like to see! 
> 
> More snapshots to come!


End file.
